An Inferno That Burns To The Bone
by Totidem Verbis
Summary: 1/27/2018-On Hiatus / This is Reigan's story… "Have you listened to a single thing I've said over the years? It's you and me, until the end, so let's go make our own destiny."
1. More Than Mere Mortals

**NOTE TO READERS:** I am completely open to criticism; I think it helps me grow as a writer. I prefer constructive criticism, but I'm all for freedom of speech. However, if there is a pairing or plot point that you don't like, please make sure the review that you leave is not a Guest review so that I have a chance to defend/explain myself. Other than that, I hope you enjoy the story!

 **Author's Note:** Here it is! The first chapter of my new Hiei story! I won't say anything here, so that you can get straight to reading. Happy reading, and I'll see you at the Ending Note!

 **Post Date:** 25 June 2016

 **Word Count:** 5890

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. I own my original characters and some parts of the plot. If you want to know who owns what, just ask. It's safer to assume that I own nothing.

 **Title Credit:** _Love, Where Is Your Fire?_ by Brooke Fraser

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 **Chapter One  
More Than Mere Mortals**

 **Present: March 1996**

Sealed away.

When she first heard her fate, centuries and centuries ago, she assumed it would be peaceful. She thought that being sealed away meant that she would be able to rest. That she would be at peace during her confinement. She couldn't have been more wrong. Then again, she should have known that there would be a catch. There's always a catch, right? Locked away, deep inside a stone prison, and wide awake. It's been twenty years, and she hasn't had a second of rest.

Wide awake. Aware. Alert. Silent. Alone.

At times, she screamed until her throat was raw. Despite that, no one could hear her. No one could ever hear her. She laughed, she cried, she begged…none of it made any difference. The world was deaf to her pleas, but she could hear the world. Hear it, see it, feel it. Rules are rules though, so she's been locked inside of her prison. Forced to watch as life moves on around her. Without her. She was told that she would be tested, but this? She never imagined this.

Voices. Telling her story, in bits and pieces. They don't know her story…not the way that she knows it. Since being locked away, all of the little pieces have come together. She knows it all now. Knows how all the pieces fit together.

"Once upon a time, in a land right-freakin'-here…"

 **5113 BC**

"Reigan!" Dark blue eyes slowly lifted up from the carnage scattered across the forest floor, and she met her brother's wide brown eyes with a grin.

"Sorry. I could not help myself, Raizen." Reigan tightened her grip around her spear as she leaned more of her weight on it, and the forest was quiet as Raizen walked closer to her. His eyes were focused on the demon dead at her feet, but she kept her eyes on him.

They have always been together. Reigan cannot remember the color of her mother's eyes or the sound of her father's voice, but she knows Raizen better than she knows herself. They came into this world together, and they have not parted since. Though, looking at them, it is hard to tell that they came from the same woman. Raizen is much taller than her, his hair is black instead of pale, and his eyes are the color of the dirt they sleep on whereas hers are the color of the dark sky. Different in appearance though they may be, they are alike in every other way. Together, they have fought against the beasts that plague this world. Made weapons with their own hands, made from the bones of the demons they slayed, and protected as many as they could.

"I told you not to run away like that. It could have been a trap." Another thing they have in common is a sense of recklessness. In the heat of battle, they both seem to lose their wits. They fight with wild abandon against their foes, and they always win.

"Am I not standing here in front of you?" His eyes finally moved to meet hers, and she tipped her head back to smile at him. Her brother, the other half of her soul, worries far too much.

"This time." His deep voice was nearly a growl, and she locked her knees as she forced her legs to hold her entire weight. Her energy, the energy that comes from deep inside of her, was depleted during the fight. It will take time for her to heal, but she is not weak.

"How can we lose? Even the gods are on our side!" She looked to the sky as she yelled, and she hopes that Koenma heard her. The god came to them what felt like an eternity ago and thanked them for their great service. For their sacrifice. He is the one that broke down the last barrier between their body and spirit, so now they can truly keep up with the beasts that seek to kill them.

"You should be more careful, Reigan. We are not gods." Now would be the time for him to talk sense, when she has just defeated a very powerful demon.

"Bring me the fool that dares to call you a mere mortal, brother, and I will show them the error of their ways." Her words caused a smile to spread across his face, and she leaned her head against his arm.

"We should go, before more come. You need rest." They fight together, always together, but she grows weaker before her brother does. Not in body but in spirit. His power is ever growing, and there are times when she fears that she will be left behind.

"As do you." It does not matter if he is stronger, all men need their rest. Even the ones destined to be gods.

 **.xXx.**

"We cannot pass them by, Raizen. Can you hear them screaming?" They have a temple of their own, in a village that they have chosen to protect, but they are very far from home. Sometimes they travel to far off villages that have been plagued by demons, but it is not something they do often. They are returning home, but the screams are deafening. She cannot leave them there to suffer.

"Even the beasts in the lowest pits of the underworld can hear their screams." Raizen has already turned towards the sound, and she raised her spear as she followed after him. She feels some pride for her spear. She crafted it with her own hands, and the blade is made from the bones of the first demon that she slew.

"There are many of them, but they are not very strong," she whispered as they got closer. Raizen may have greater strength, but her other senses are stronger.

"Be safe." She turned to meet his eyes, committed the dark brown color to memory, and nodded.

"Always." They split up once they reached the village, and she heard the tortured screams of Raizen's victims a few moments later. She is falling behind.

By the time the village was quiet, her arms felt nearly useless at her sides and her pants were soaked through with blood. Blood of varying colors streaked across her skin and clothes, and she carefully wiped blood off the bleached bone of her spear. She could hear Raizen farther off, talking quietly to some villagers that were lucky enough to be alive, and she stopped next to a charred set of bodies. So much useless death and destruction, and for what? She has learned that some demons require human flesh to survive; it is no different than the animals that she kills to stay alive. Those demons, maybe, she could understand. The ones that kill for sport? That slaughter humans in droves just to laugh and jeer at the ruination? Those she does not understand.

"A demon slayer. It must be my lucky day." She tried to call out for Raizen, but she did not have the time. Clawed hands gripped the side of her face, and a thick smoke clouded her senses. She thought she could hear a roar, and her last thought was that she hoped Raizen killed the beast before coming after her.

 **.xXx.**

"My brother is going to kill you," Reigan whispered. Everything inside of her screamed and rebelled against the hands pushing her body into the floor, but the thought of her brother gave her comfort. The demon that grabbed her was fast, and they were very far away from Raizen when she first woke. Raizen has been steadily getting closer as the days go by, but her brother is not going to make it in time. She was already weak when the demon grabbed her, and her body will give up soon. She has accepted her fate.

"Your brother will never find me." That is where this demon is wrong. Her brother will find her, even if it is too late. She is not sure how she knows things before they come to pass, but she does not question the things that her spirit tell her are true. She is going to die. Raizen came with her into this world, but she is going to leave it without him. It seems almost wrong, this separation, but she wants her brother to live.

"Before the sun rises again, you will be dead." This demon is the cowardly sort. He grabbed her when he knew she was weak, and he did not want to test his strength against hers like most demons. No, he wants her to suffer for what she has done to his kind.

"As will you, demon slayer." Her scream filled the cave they were hidden in as the demon's energy ripped through her body, and everything in her locked up at the intrusion. Her back was arched away from the rough rocks, and her fingers bled as she clawed at the ground. Her eyes rolled upwards and rested on the prayer beads around her left wrist. She created each bead herself, poured her energy into each movement, and now it's all over.

" _Lord Koenma, please, keep Raizen safe. I have earned a last request, have I not? That is it. Keep him safe."_ It was her last thought before her sight disappeared and everything stopped.

 **.xXx.**

Koenma heard the prayer; the strength of Reigan's dying request echoed in his chambers. He was able to focus enough to see her, and he marveled at the strength of the small human. So many demons underestimated her because of her size, but she is fierce. He has watched her fight, and she impressed him with her resolve. Her brother is no different. Tall for a human, and his strength is even greater than his sister's. He did not know it was even possible for two humans to possess so much control over their spirit, but they have continued to prove him wrong. However, they are only human. Reigan is dying.

As he watched Reigan take her last shuddering breath, he heard her brother's roar of anguish. He knows the siblings are close. When they fight, it is like they are an extension of one another. As if they are the same person split between two bodies. Despite knowing that, the brother and sister have surprised him once again. When Reigan's heart stopped, Raizen's did as well. The sister fell against the rocky floor, and Raizen collapsed on the other side of the mountain. Both of their hearts stopped beating, but their spirits have yet to rise. Normally the spirit leaves the body immediately, so why have they not arrived in Spirit World?

" _I will not leave her behind. We are one, and she will live!"_ Raizen's roar seemed to shake the entirety of Spirit World, and Koenma felt his eyes widen as power engulfed Raizen's body.

The Atavism of the Mazoku. That was what he first believed, because he has heard stories of human descendants inheriting power from their demon ancestors. This is not that. It has been over fifteen years, but he knows what this is. At last, he knows who they are. Once their hearts stopped beating, the thick scar tissue on their right wrists disappeared. A seal. A very powerful one apparently, if the seal was able to cloak their demonic energy. All this time they have lived as humans, felt like humans, but have been demons. Not just any demons. The missing children of the Demon King Raiden. The two children were presumed dead after Raiden's mate, Kaysha, was killed. Whoever killed Kaysha must have taken the children, sealed away their demonic energy, and left them to fend for themselves as humans.

Now that the seal is gone, their demonic energy is taking over. Rising to the surface. If they continue to pour out their energy like this, they will disrupt the balance between the worlds. If Koenma does nothing, his father will handle the situation. It does not matter that they were demon slayers, they are now demons. Koenma should let them be slain by his father, before they can harness their power, but he cannot. It does not matter that they are Mazoku demons; the two of them have saved countless lives, at the threat of losing their own, and he owes them. They do not deserve to be killed. Not when there is still a chance that they can do some good in the world.

"Raizen! You have to control yourself! Now!" The brown color of his eyes has turned a dark violet, and his long black hair is now a stark white. His demon appearance.

"Reigan is—"

"Reigan is alive, but I have to get you both out of here before Father comes for you. We have to get Reigan." Raizen's eyes closed as he concentrated, and the great well of power slowly emptied. Koenma knows that it is just locked inside of Raizen, but he does not have time to think about it. He needs to get them to Demon World. He grabbed Raizen's shoulder and took them straight to the cave, where Reigan was on her feet.

"Sister!" She looked over her shoulder, and the same dark blue eyes as always looked over at them.

"He killed me, so I returned the favor. Am I alive? I should not be." The tips of her ears twitched from where they stuck out from between her pale hair, but it is a darker shade than her brother's now.

"You are just as alive as I am." Reigan turned fully at that, and her eyes widened as she took in her brother's new appearance.

"We do not have time for this! You have to leave, now!" Koenma reached next to him to grab Raizen's wrist and pulled him over to Reigan, and the young woman looked confused as he grabbed her wrist as well. There are not many places that are considered safe in Demon World, so Koenma only tried to find a place that was uninhabited. Once such a place was located, Koenma focused all of his energy and took the twins out of the Human World.

 **.xXx.**

The first thing that Reigan noticed was the sky. The soft blue sky was replaced with a bright crimson, like the color of freshly spilled blood, and a large red sun cast light and heat around them. Streaks of lightning cut across the sky, and she thought for a moment that she could just watch the way that the sky moved for hours. Unfortunately, she did not have the time. This is not the sky of the Human World. She does not even need Koenma to explain; they are in Demon World, because they are demons. Her heart has yet to beat, but she is very much alive.

"Explain, Koenma." Her fingers shook as she lifted her hand and touched it to Raizen's cheek, but she could not feel any difference between his warm skin and the dark blue marks across his left cheek.

"Yes, I would like to know why I am a demon," she added. The young ruler was barely tall enough to reach her knee, but his gaze was still old. On a whim, she dropped to the ground and crossed her legs in front of her. After a moment, Raizen did the same. Their knees knocked together, and Reigan felt a sense of comfort. No matter what has changed, Raizen is still her brother. Still her other half.

"To explain that, you need to understand Demon World. Your new world." Reigan and Raizen exchanged a glance and then turned to nod at the Spirit Prince. "It is ultimately divided into three territories. Alaric, Gandara, and Tourin. The territories are protected by the three Demon Kings. The bat demon, Vanko, rules over Alaric. Taiyo, a lion demon, rules over Gandara. The ruler of Tourin is a Mazoku demon by the name of Raiden."

"Our father." She was not sure how she knew that he was their father, but she did. Koenma met her eyes, but he did not question her.

"Yes. Around fifteen years ago, his mate was killed. Kaysha's body was found, but he could not find his two children. Twins. They could not be found or sensed, and he believed them to be dead. It drove him to insanity."

"Then we have to go to him!" She should feel more shock, more fear, at knowing that she is not a human. That she has never been a human.

"I am afraid that it is too late for Raiden. He lost his family in a day, his mate and two children. Most demons would have died instantly, but he continues to mourn. He kills all who crosses his path. If you were to go to him, he would kill you."

"How were we hidden?" They have family, they have a _father_ , but he is lost to them. Just as they were lost to him. Leave it to Raizen to ask something practical while she mourns for the parents that she never knew. That she will never get to know.

"The marks on your wrists, they were seals. I was not sure until they disappeared, but I am sure of it now. Your demon energy was sealed away so that you presented as human, but you have always been demons. Mazoku demons are the fiercest of demons, which is why Raiden is so dangerous in his deteriorating mental state."

"Then we will free him." She reached out to grab Raizen's wrist as the words left his mouth, and she felt nothing but smooth skin. The thick scar that was once on his right wrist is gone, just like the scar on her right wrist is gone.

"You are not strong enough. Even combined, your energy is not even half of his." Raizen's dark violet eyes met hers, and she felt the cool glide of his claws as their fingers laced. It seems as if they have both undergone the same changes. Pointed ears, fangs, claws. She knows that the rest of her appearance has not changed, but they truly do look like twins now.

"Yes. We will grow stronger, as strong as it takes, and we will free him," she whispered.

"I cannot stay any longer. I have already done too much." Koenma's hands were hidden inside of his sleeves, but Reigan reached out and lightly touched his arm anyway.

"Thank you for saving us, Koenma." He nodded at her, just once, and then completely disappeared. Reigan turned back to look at her brother, who was looking down at her chest. She tipped her chin down to see what he was looking at, and she noticed that her shirt had parted enough to show the top of her chest. Between the dip of her collarbones and above the bindings that covered her breasts was the same symbol on Raizen's cheek.

"You were right, sister." She tilted her head at his words, and fangs gleamed in the harsh light as Raizen smiled at her. "We are more than mere mortals."

 **4008 BC**

"You must be the two Mazoku demons I have heard of." Reigan looked away from the demon at her feet and propped the length of her naginata across her shoulders. Next to her, Raizen flicked entrails off his claws and bared his teeth at the newest demon to approach them.

"If we are?" For the past thousand years, they have moved between Alaric and Gandara without ever venturing into Tourin. They have stayed in areas of Demon World that most demons are too afraid to even go near, and they have been slowly growing their power. Stronger and stronger, until they are ready to face Raiden. Stories of the Mad Mazoku have reached them even in the darkest corners of Demon World, and Reigan knows that they will face him one day. They are the only ones that can.

"Then I am here to join you!" Reigan raised a brow at the large red demon, goat from the smell, and glanced over at Raizen. They have been alone for the past thousand years. Demons at first fought them to eat them, but that changed quickly. The challenges now are a test of strength, but they have never had a demon request to join them.

"Do you think it is a plot to kill us once we let our guards down?" Raizen asked the question loud enough for the other demon to hear, and Reigan focused on the energy humming under her skin. Raizen is physically stronger than her; every time her power grows, his grows tenfold. She is stronger in other ways. The more time that goes by, the stronger her sense of sight becomes. Sometimes it whispers to her in riddles, but she can control it to an extent. On occasion.

"He has proved himself against many enemies, but it is a lonely life. An empty life. Killing does not make you stronger. Numbers do. His offer is genuine." The large demon laughed once she was done speaking, but he was not mocking her. Some demons mocked her when she spoke, and they usually died for the offense. This demon…he is laughing because that is what he feels, nothing more.

"You're not wrong, little one. My name is Enki." He bowed his head to both of them, closed his eyes and everything, and Reigan saw it as the offer it was. He left himself open and vulnerable so that they could attack if they wanted to, but she does not want to.

"I am Reigan. This is my brother, Raizen."

"I am the one that will kill you if you try to cross us." Enki laughed at Raizen's words as well, and Reigan decided that she liked the sound. It was so loud and carefree.

"So, my new friends, what are we preparing for?" The two of them were surrounded by slaughtered demons, covered in blood and other things, but Enki seemed unbothered by the destruction. Reigan looked up at Raizen, who smiled at her before turning back to the new demon.

"We're going to kill Raiden."

 **3017 BC**

"Come out of the shadows, Mazoku. You know better than to try and hide from me." The voice was soft but had an edge of steel to it, and Reigan smiled as she stepped out from behind the small gathering of trees. The other demon was sitting on a small boulder, and a single pale blue eye watched her approach. Her left eye was covered by a simple black patch. Silver hair waved around her pale face in the breeze and stopped before reaching her shoulders, and she was carefully polishing the large blade sitting across her thighs.

"You knew I was coming." The raven demon hummed low in her throat, and an actual raven flew out of the trees to perch on her shoulder. The raven's feathers were a glossy black, and the two eyes that looked out at her were the same pale blue color of its master.

"I have been waiting for you. _He_ has been waiting for you." The woman did not have to name the male in question. Reigan already knows. They have been in Demon World for over two thousand years, but Raiden is still alive. His insanity is known by all, and it will not be long before his madness destroys the world. Even now, Vanko and Taiyo are struggling to keep the beast at bay.

"Raizen is strong enough, but I am not. I fear I will never be his equal." Her head dipped forward at the admission, and her braid fell over her left shoulder. Raizen has grown steadily stronger over the years, and she's not sure if anyone will ever be her brother's equal. Enki, the demon who has not left their side since that first meeting, is strong as well. They are both stronger than her.

"You stopped eating humans after only a few centuries. You are among the highest class of demons, and the strongest need to eat to survive. Despite that, you sustain yourself by eating other demons." The raven demon spoke without ever looking away from her blade, and Reigan clasped her hands together. She lightly touched against the beads that were still wrapped around her left wrist and sighed.

"I understand the need, and I do not scorn my brother for eating to survive. I just could not anymore." The village that they protected, the place that was once their sanctuary, still exists. The village below their temple has flourished, and she returns to it when she can. The people call her a goddess, an answer to their prayers, and they created a statue in her likeness. The taste of human flesh has turned to ash in her mouth ever since she first laid eyes upon it.

"Your physical power will never match your brother's. His strength will always be greater, but strength is not everything. You have more to give him than that." Reigan looked up to meet the woman's single blue eye with her own darker eyes, and she slowly shook her head.

"I need more. To defeat _him_ , I need just a little bit more." She knows that she will never be as strong as Raizen. She will never even be as strong as Enki. Her strength lies elsewhere, but she needs a little more physical strength to defeat their father.

"I can give you more, but you must promise that you will end his suffering. I have listened to his madness for far too long." Reigan knows, without asking, who this woman is. Shikaku, a raven demon with the power of sight and Raiden's second in command. She is the only being that can help Reigan do what she must.

"We will set him free," Reigan promised.

"The pain will keep you immobile for days. You will beg for a death that will not come, but you will be stronger. Are you ready to begin?" A smart remark was on the tip of her tongue, but Reigan bit her tongue. Now was not the time to appear brave. Her own sense of sight told her that this was more likely to kill her than help her, but she needs to be a little bit stronger. For Raizen. For _him_.

"I am ready."

 **.xXx.**

Days passed as her body changed, as her skin split open and her blood soaked the ground. Her energy was forced apart so that another could nest inside, and she did beg for death. Begged for the pain to stop, for everything to stop. Beat her fists against the ground and screamed up at the sky, but none of it made any difference. She was cut open, emptied, taken apart, and rebuilt. When it was finally over, after days of screaming agony, she laid against the ground naked from the waist up. Her loose black pants were tacky with blood and dirt, and she'd torn her shirt and bindings off only hours after the change started.

The light wind was cool against her naked skin, and she watched the way that the fingers of her right hand flexed against the dirt. Curling around her wrist, covering her entire arm, were large twisting vines. The vines were a vibrant green color, which caused them to stand out against the darker shade of the feathers intertwined between them. Her entire arm was completely covered so that no skin could be seen, from her wrist to the top of her shoulder. The vines curled down across her shoulders and dipped below her shoulder blades, before arcing up onto her left shoulder blade. It seemed as if the vines disappeared into the skin on top of her left shoulder, and she could feel the cool feeling of power on top of her left shoulder. Across the top of her back, spanning past the length of her shoulder blades, was a giant raven. The wings were outstretched, and the thick vine was clutched in its talons.

"In time, you will be able to control them. The vines will make a strong weapon, once you learn how to manifest them. As for the raven, it will be an extension of you. Use it to see, to attack, however you wish. Master them quickly. If you do not keep your word, I will come back and reclaim what I have given." The words were said above her, and Reigan twisted her head to watch the woman walk away. The sword belted at her hip looked as wide as the woman's body, and the point nearly touched the ground even though it was on diagonally.

"I will master them."

After another hour, Reigan was able to force herself to her feet. There was a stream nearby, just behind the boulder where she first saw Shikaku sitting, and she kept her pants on as she waded into the cool water. The pants were washed quickly enough, and Reigan took her time cleaning the blood and sweat from her body. Once she was satisfied, she moved up onto the vacated boulder. A roll of bindings had been left behind, and Reigan closed her eyes as she said a quiet thank-you for the parting gift. She began to slowly wrap the bindings around her breasts, and she was careful to keep the bindings below the vine that stretched across her back.

"Smells like…Mazoku. Now there's somethin' you don't see every day." She tied off the end of the binding and started working her fingers through the wet mess of her hair.

"If you are here to fight, I will have to kill you quickly. I just got clean." The voice behind her laughed, and she looked over her shoulder as she started sectioning off her hair to braid it.

"Not here to kill ya. Heard there was a couple of Mazoku lookin' to take over Tourin. Thought I'd see what the fuss was about." The serpentine demon had hair the same color as hers, but it was a paler shade. Two horns hung down beside his dark blue eyes, and she could see a tail swinging lazily behind him.

"That is not our purpose." The demon grinned large enough to show off his fangs, and he shrugged.

"Don't care about your purpose. Just wanted to meet the two crazy demons that were plannin' on takin' down Raiden. Even Vanko and Taiyo fightin' together can't take him down." Even though the power is new, she can feel it. Can feel the way that the new additions to her body and energy are crying out to be used. She might never be as strong as Raizen, but she is strong enough to stand on her own. Soon, she'll be strong enough to stand against Raiden.

"My name is Reigan. Would you like to meet my brother?" She told Raizen that she would be gone for days, so she knows that Raizen and Enki will be waiting for her return. The demon crossed his arms as she slid off the rock, and she rolled her shoulders. She normally wore a shirt over her chest bindings, but she will have to stop that now. Her left arm and her upper back must be bare.

"My name is Souketsu, and it'd be my honor." He bowed at the waist as she got closer, and she smiled up at the taller demon once she'd reached his side. This one is funny. Raizen might like him, or kill him.

 **3010 BC**

"I have never seen such power." Taiyo's soft voice was hoarse after decades of fighting, and Enki spared a glance for the lion demon. She was sitting on the ground, covered in blood but breathing normally once again, and Vanko was seated next to her. The two Demon Kings have been fighting Raiden for nearly a century in an effort to keep the third King from destroying everything, including the Demon World. The strain shows on their tired bodies.

"It is like they are one person." Vanko sounded just as awed, and Enki could understand why. He has watched Raizen and Reigan fight many times in the past thousand years, but he is still captivated by the way that they move. Raizen uses nothing more than his claws and his energy when he fights, and it is brutal. Reigan uses the naginata she created along with her new acquired powers. Vines leap out of her skin, wrap around her wrist, and she can use them just as well as she would a sword or whip. In front of them, Raiden is losing.

"Now!" At Raizen's roar, Reigan leapt into the air and landed behind the enraged ruler. Her vines wrapped around his throat while the staff of her naginata knocked his feet out from under him, and Raizen darted forward to plunge both sets of claws into Raiden's stomach as his knees hit the ground. The demon king roared so loud that the ground shook, despite the hold on his throat, and Raizen's answering growl matched his.

Enki stepped forward as Raiden stopped struggling, and the resemblance between the three demons was striking. Raiden's hair was as thick and long as Raizen's, but his eyes were the same dark blue as Reigan's. As the king's blood flowed to the ground and his life began to fade, his eyes cleared. The madness that once clouded his sight receded, and he looked up at the demon who had killed him. Looked up at Raizen. One bloody hand reached up to touch against Raizen's marked cheek, but he did not flinch back. He held still. Raiden then looked over his shoulder, and Reigan pulled her vines back as their eyes met. She moved to stand next to Raizen, who had removed his claws, and they both looked down at the dying king.

"You. Are. Alive." The demon king smiled as he said the words, and Enki looked down at Souketsu. The other demon has only been with them for a few years, and he looked just as confused as Enki felt.

"We had to free you, Father."

"You will be at peace now, Father." Enki was not sure why he did not put the pieces together sooner. The lost children of the Mazoku had returned to finally release their father from madness. Raiden smiled, with blood spilling over his lips and tracking down his chin, and then fell to the ground. His energy was completely gone, and Reigan leaned her head against Raizen's arm. "It is finished, brother."

"And now you will take his place." The twins stiffened at the sound of the new voice, and they turned as one to look over at Taiyo. The female was back on her feet, and her lips pulled into a frown as she looked down at Raiden's still body. "What happened to Raiden was unfortunate, and you did what was right. Now one of you will have to take his place, to keep the balance."

"King Raizen has a good ring to it, does it not?" Reigan asked with a grin.

"So it does," Raizen said with a grin of his own. Enki scooped the twins up and held them above his head, and Souketsu cheered along with him. Balance was finally going to be returned to the Demon World.

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 **Ending Note:** There's the first chapter! No Hiei, but this story is about Reigan. First and foremost. Don't worry though, he'll make an appearance in a few chapters. There were some familiar faces though! It was really fun writing about the past, and I'm going to have some more fun with the past before I get to the anime parts. The anime will probably only take a chapter or two to go through though and then it'll pick up after that.

Enough of my rambling for now. I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter, and I'll try to get the next one out soon!


	2. You Smell Like Stone

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much to everyone who added this story to their favorites and followed it! Oh, and a special thank you to my reviewers! I've replied to them down below the Ending Note, so I'll see you there!

 **Post Date:** 05 July 2016

 **Word Count:** 6085

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 **Chapter Two  
You Smell Like Stone**

 **Present: March 1996**

"It's just a big rock." Yes, her nephew has her brother's sense of observational awareness. Which means that he has none except for maybe in the heat of battle.

"That's where you're wrong, Yusuke. Can't you feel it? Just under the surface?" Botan's voice was softer, and it became even softer as she stepped closer. Despite being locked in stone, she could feel the phantom warmth of Botan's hand against the statue's weathered cheek.

"Still doesn't explain why we're here," Yusuke pointed out. They're all standing in front of her, in some form of a semi-circle, and it's a wonderful feeling. She's been alone for so long.

"We're here because this statue was created to honor Reigan, the sister of Raizen." At Genkai's words, she could almost taste Yusuke's confusion.

"Raizen had a sister?" Yusuke sounded truly curious now, and a soft chuckle rolled across the stone.

"He did. A twin. When they were about four, their mother was killed and they were taken to the Human World. Seals were placed on them to make them feel human, and their father believed that his mate and children were dead. Raiden was the King of Tourin at the time, and he slowly went insane from the grief." She knows that voice and then she doesn't. She knows his other voice, the older one, but she's never had the pleasure of hearing his voice in this form. Dear sweet Kurama.

"That's terrible. What happened?" Botan asked. It sounded like she was sitting down, and Reigan strained her senses. She counted seven bodies all standing around her, listening to her story.

"No one is really sure how, but the seals on Raizen and Reigan were broken. When they returned to Demon World, they trained so that they could put Raiden out of his misery. They succeeded, and Raizen became the King of Tourin. Reigan spent most of her time in Demon World, but she traveled to the village below this temple enough for them to create this in her honor," Kurama said and looked up at the stone visage of her face.

 **3009 BC**

"You would think that they would have stopped by now." The woman that joined her on the balcony was the exact same height as her, and the two females looked over the railing and at the ground below. Enki and Souketsu were sitting on one side, laughing and yelling at one another. On the other side, the massive army of earth elementals were watching the fight in silence. In the middle, Raizen was swatting at a massive bull demon as if he was nothing more than a gnat.

"He has only been on the throne for a year. I imagine there will be many more challengers before they realize that he is undefeatable." Shikaku laughed, but Reigan kept on smiling. There is no one, in this world or any other, that can defeat her brother.

"No one is invincible, Reigan. Not even that stubborn brother of yours." It has only been a year, but she has become close to Shikaku. The female raven demon serves Tourin, does whatever is asked of her without complaint, and she is the kind of honest that sometimes hurts but never leaves any questions behind. The other seer is only a hundred or so years older than Reigan, but the things she sees are so much clearer than what Reigan sees.

"Do not tell him that." Below them, Raizen laughed as he sent the bull demon flying. The demon will not return. There will be another challenger, someone who wants to test their might against the newest King of Tourin, but they will fail.

"The only thing greater than his strength is his ego," Shikaku finally said. Reigan's laugh was long and loud, because the raven is not wrong. Her brother has earned his ego though, so she will let him enjoy the name that he is making for himself.

"You are always free to leave," Reigan pointed out. A single pale blue eye looked over at her, and Reigan smiled. Shikaku will not leave them.

"And miss all the fun? I think I will stay," Shikaku replied with a smile of her own.

 **1786 BC**

 _His eyes are…red. Sometimes the dark color of dried blood. Other times as light as the sky at noon. His eyes miss nothing, and the hatred in them burns so hot that it leaves her feeling cold. Yet, despite all that anger, his eyes are beautiful._

"Daydreaming, sister?" Her eyes cleared at the sound of Raizen's voice, and she looked away from the expanse of the sky. She is sitting on the balcony railing outside of Raizen's throne room, and she knows better than to let her guard down when she is sitting above open air. Someone could accidentally bump into her at any moment and send her flying to the ground below. Claw tipped hands touched against her exposed ribcage, and she leaned back against Raizen's strong chest.

"I think I saw him. The one that I'm destined to be with." She only saw the person's eyes, but she knew it was a male. She just knew, like she sometimes does.

"Then why do you sound so sad?" Raizen's cheek brushed against hers, and they looked at the way the newly rising sun bathed the grounds in warm light. The elementals keep the palace awash in greenery and beauty, and Reigan loves sitting out on the balcony and marveling at it all.

"Because he is very far away. So far away from me," she whispered. There was a kind of emptiness in the pit of her chest, a coldness in her stomach, and she kept seeing the hatred in his eyes.

"Is he in the Human World?" It has been a while since she last visited the Human World, she should check on her village soon, but it is not distance that separates her from her future mate.

"He has not even been born yet, and he will live a harsh life before I find him." The hatred, that burning anger, hid a deeper sadness. It could not be seen, not in his eyes, but she could feel it. She would not be the one to soothe him, which hurt her in a way that she did not know she could hurt. However, she will stand at his side. They will be partners, in every sense of the word.

"If he is destined to be yours, he will be strong. Have faith, sister mine."

"Raizen! The bed is growing cold, and I might be forced to seek shelter elsewhere if you…Oh. You're with _her_." Both Mazoku demons turned to look at the female demon lounging in the doorway, and the woman was carefully running her sharpened nails through her lime green hair.

"She is still here?" Neither Raizen nor Reigan were chaste, but Reigan was the one that preferred to save herself for actual relationships. Raizen barely spent more than a night or two with a woman, but this lion demon has been around for nearly two months.

"Play nice, sister mine. I have come to ask a favor of you." Reigan twisted around on the railing at that and marveled at the fact that she still had to tip her chin up just the tiniest bit to meet her brother's eyes.

"A favor?" Raizen is good at ruling his kingdom. The earth elementals that make up his army respect him and are loyal to him, and all of the demons in Tourin know who their true leader is. What can she do?

"I need you to go to Alaric. Rumor has it that Vanko has been defeated, and I want to know about the demon that took his place. Make sure this new King understands our balance." There was a hint of a threat under his words, and Reigan slowly nodded her head. Vanko had a son that he had been grooming to take over the throne, but he must have been killed as well. Alaric, or all of Demon World, could fall into chaos if the wrong person takes over.

"You can count on me, brother mine." Claws ran through the length of her hair and slowly braided it, and she smiled up at him once the braid was hanging over her left shoulder. She is only wearing loose black pants and white bindings over her chest, so she is ready to go.

"I know I can. Souketsu is waiting for you down below."

"Ya damn right I am! So how 'bout you get your ass down here so we can get this over with?!" Reigan looked over her shoulder, and Souketsu really was standing on the ground below the balcony and waving his arms about like a madman. Reigan was about to shout back down to him, but two strong hands on her arms cut her off. She shrieked as she fell backwards off the balcony railing, and the last thing she saw was Raizen's head thrown back in a laugh. Souketsu caught her before she could reach the ground, and she smiled as she reached up to lightly pat the top of his light blonde hair.

"Nice catch," she said as Souketsu lightly set her on her feet. He grinned at her, fangs and all, and then turned tail and ran. "Wait up!"

It only took her a few minutes to catch up to her laughing friend, because they are friends now. It has been over a thousand years, and Souketsu spends more time with them than he does not. Enki stays with them pretty much full-time as well. With Souketsu came Shu, who did not show up until after Raizen had been on the throne for a few years. Apparently, the two demons had been friends for as long as either of them could remember. When Souketsu mentioned wanting to join up with the demons looking to take down Raiden, Shu wished him the best and went his separate way. Once things calmed down, Shu showed up. Reigan loves having so many people around, but she would prefer a few more females in the palace. (Kokou, the lion demon currently sharing her brother's bed, does not count.) Shikaku appears whenever it suits her, which leaves Reigan as the only female around the palace. Maybe she should get out more.

"Is it just me, or are the demons staring at us more than normal?" Souketsu stepped closer so that their arms brushed together as they walked, and dark blue eyes looked around them. Yes, it did look like they were being more closely watched. Reigan pressed her arm flush against Souketsu's and let her senses expand. Waves of fear, curiosity, and anxiety were coming off the demons in waves. Alaric really is in a state of unease.

"They know who we are, and they know where we come from." When Raizen fights in battles, Reigan fights next to him. When Raizen fights challengers to the throne, Reigan stands next to him. Demons know who she is. Perhaps if she had left her body unenhanced, she would be able to blend easier. The vines and feathers wrapped around her right arm, the raven stretched across her back, and the naginata Souketsu provided for her resting across the tops of her shoulders makes her stand out. Perhaps she should fold her naginata and secure it to the dark blue belt around her hips.

"Will they fight us?" She finished folding the naginata, down into three sections, and easily tied it onto her belt.

"No. Vanko may have been old, but he was still powerful. They want to see what their new King will do." Just as she said, no one stopped them on their way to the palace. Tourin's palace is a light brown color, like the color of fine sand, and it looks like a dream from a distance. Alaric's palace is just as large, but the stones are a harsh gray. The doors creaked as they were let inside, and Souketsu whistled as they were led down many hallways. Everything was so dark, and none of the demons that they passed would look them in the eye. Interesting.

"I know that look. Whattaya want, Rei?" The nickname is still new to her, and it is mostly only used by Souketsu and Shu. Raizen sometimes uses the shortened version of her name as well; he says it suits her.

"Let me meet this new King alone. Guard the door." Souketsu looked like he wanted to argue, because Raizen told him to keep her safe at all costs, but she is not some helpless weak demon. She earned her S-Class strength, even though she is still weaker than most of her friends. After a moment of staring, Souketsu nodded and let her go. The door in front of them opened, and Reigan stepped in alone.

"I know who you are, little demon." There was a figure sitting in a chair behind a desk, and bindings completely covered the demon's head. Wards were placed over the bindings, so Reigan could not get a read on this new ruler. She could feel power, see one mechanical eye, and that was all. That was all that she could see with her regular senses at least.

"I am Lady Reigan of Tourin. As for being little, you are only a few inches taller than I. Two, to be exact." It was impossible to see the King's face, but Reigan could feel the confusion. The ruler was sitting, so detecting height should have been impossible.

"The rumors are true. You have the gift of sight." The voice was deep and mechanical; it was just another mask.

"To an extent. Do you know why I am here?" The newest King leaned forward and placed both palms on the top of the desk, and Reigan watched as the ruler rose. Just as she said, this new ruler is only two inches taller than her five feet.

"I know it's not to fight, because there are only two of you. Have you come to tell me to keep the peace?" The mechanical voice felt odd in her ears, especially when she could hear the real voice echoing inside of her mind.

"That is exactly why I am here. The Demon World exists in a balance of chaos and order. Should one King try to challenge the others, it will only end in the death of our world. You do not want that, do you, _my lord_?" The King stiffened at Reigan's question, and she knew that the little whispers in her mind were true. It is not her business; if this King wants to be addressed as a lord then that is her business.

"I do not, my lady, and you may call me Mukuro." Reigan nodded at that and looked into Mukuro's mechanical eye. "Follow me. There is something you need to see."

When they stepped outside into the hallway, Souketsu was talking quietly with four guards. Only one of them would be a real match for him, but she did not like the look of him surrounded. Even though she could tell that none of the guards meant him no harm. She told Souketsu that she was accompanying Mukuro outside of the palace, and that they would leave when she returned. The look in his eyes said that it was a bad idea, but he nodded to her in respect and let her go. Mukuro was completely silent as they walked through the giant palace, and Reigan blinked as she took in the bright sunlight after being inside the dark palace for so long.

"Oh my…" Behind the palace, bodies were piled up higher than her own height. Demons were moving the dead to burning piles, and the stink of death and rot was thick in the air. As they walked through the rows of the dead, Mukuro whispered clipped praises to the demons cleaning up.

"I do not know how it started. I heard that Vale, Vanko's son, had been defeated. In his grief, they said that Vanko went mad. In the end, he could not tell enemy from comrade. He attacked all that he could reach, until I stopped him." Reigan knows a little something about that…like seeing the madness in Raiden's eyes as she and Raizen fought to put him down. She looked over at Mukuro, and a thought passed into her mind.

"You never wanted to rule. That was not your intention. You like chaos, but this was not chaos. This was…misery"

"Vanko was a fair ruler. He deserved to be at peace, with his mate and son." His mate died centuries ago, but Vanko lived on for his son. Losing him must have been too much, but it is still hard to imagine Vanko slaughtering his own people.

"Lord Mukuro! We have found survivors!" Both of them turned at the sound of the loud cry, and Reigan followed behind Mukuro to see just who could survive such carnage. A large scorpion demon was holding up two children; the rags they were wearing for clothes were clenched in his fists, and the two children kept squirming to get down.

"Shadow demons. They are much too young to know how to use their powers to hide their demonic energy," Mukuro said as the scorpion raised them up a little higher. Reigan stepped around the lord and towards the large demon, and the two children stopped wiggling around to look up at her. One was a boy with dark blue hair and eyes, and the other was a girl with dark brown hair and shining pink eyes. They could not have been any older than three years, so their powers have yet to fully develop.

"The battle frightened them, and their survival instincts kicked in. They did not even realize they were hiding their demonic energy, or that they were disappearing inside of the shadows around them. So strong to be so small, and they are alone. Their parents were killed in the battle." The little girl glared up at her, and the boy bared his small teeth at her.

"I have neither the patience nor the time to care for two children. Take them to a village. Someone might take them in." The scorpion demon grunted and started to walk away, but Reigan could still feel the children's eyes on hers.

" _They will be strong. Loyal. Friends and family."_ The voice in her mind was a little louder than usual, and she took a step forward as she called out. The large demon paused and looked from her to Mukuro, and Reigan knew that the lord was looking at her as well.

"I will take the children with me. There is plenty of room in Tourin's palace for the two little ones." The scorpion demon dropped the children to the ground, and they both brushed themselves off before tipping their chins up to meet her eyes. So young and defiant.

"We will not call you mother!" the little boy yelled. The girl elbowed him in the ribs hard enough to make him bend over, but she did not correct him.

"I do not expect you to. You can call me Reigan. What should I call you?" She bent down so that she was on eye-level with the children, and the twins exchanged a glance. Twins…like her and Raizen.

"Natsume."

"Kujou." Reigan extended her hands as she stood up, and a small hand gripped each of hers. She could not see Mukuro's expression, but she could feel the King's confusion. Reigan was a little confused herself. She was not sure why she needed to take the children with her, what part they would play in the future, but she has learned to always follow her instincts.

"You are a strange demon, Lady Reigan," Mukuro said as they re-entered the palace.

"I suppose I am, Lord Mukuro," Reigan laughed just as Souketsu noticed them. He looked relieved at seeing her unharmed and then he looked down. She watched the way his dark blue eyes looked back and forth at the two children clinging to her hands, and she shrugged.

"We takin' in kids now?" he asked. Kojou's blue eyes were a dark navy color, but Souketsu's eyes were such a dark blue color that they looked nearly black. (Reigan's own eyes were closer to the color of the night sky of the Human World.) The bright pink of Natsume's eyes seemed to stand out while being surrounded by them.

"We are taking in these two. This is Natsume and Kojou, and they are going to come live with us in the palace. Especially since we do not have to worry about any wars at the moment," she said and looked over at Mukuro. The covered leader nodded, and Souketsu slowly shook his head.

"Raizen's gonna blame this on me, you know that, right?" Souketsu asked as they left the palace. Kojou was riding on top of his shoulders, and Natsume had her arms wrapped around Reigan's neck with her legs around her waist. It helped them move faster; it normally takes a little over three days to reach Alaric's territory, but it will take them a little longer with their extra passengers.

"Do not worry. Raizen always trusts my judgement." She grinned over at Souketsu and little Kojou, but the boy just growled at her. Raizen is going to love him.

 **.xXx.**

"I send you to make sure that a war does not break out and destroy our world, and you return with two orphans?" The throne room was empty, and the two of them were out on the balcony. Reigan was sitting on the railing once again, with her back facing the outside world, and Raizen was leaning on the balcony next to her facing the opposite direction. She told him about meeting Mukuro, but she kept the King's secret. It is not her decision to decide when Mukuro reveals herself. She spoke of Vale dying and Vanko's resulting madness, and the look in Raizen's eyes mirrored the pain in her own soul. It does not matter that they did not know their father; he believed that they were dead along with their mother, and they had to kill him for him to find peace.

"Two very powerful orphans. Well, they will be." She explained about how they used their shadow abilities to hide during the slaughter out of pure instinct, and Raizen looked suitably impressed.

"If you say they will grow to be powerful warriors, I believe you. You have never been wrong." Raizen's temple knocked against hers, and she leaned against her brother's strength. The children are resting in their newly assigned rooms and even Souketsu had stumbled off to sleep. She wanted to fill Raizen in first, but she is ready to sleep now. To rest.

 **509 BC**

The blue sky seemed endless above her; the beautiful color was only interrupted by the thick white clouds that slowly moved across the sky. The small temple was located in the center of the holy ground, and it was surrounded on all four sides. The village, which took several stairs and several miles to reach, was to the east. The ocean was to the west, and a very dense forest covered the south part of the holy ground. A large mountain bordered the holy ground to the north, and the large mountain carried a deep blue shade within the stone. It was the color of her demonic energy. For four thousand years, she has been pouring her energy into this mountain. It is a warning to both demons and psychically aware humans that this territory is claimed. In her human life, she lived in the holy temple and fought to keep the small village close by safe. The village has grown over the years, and she will always protect it.

"You need not hide from me, Reigan." The old woman bowing at the statue did not move as she spoke, and Reigan slowly stepped forward. At the base of the mountain, there is a statue crafted in her likeness. It is the same height as her, but the clothes are different than the ones she wears now. The loose pants are the same, but the statue is wearing the shirt of a priestess. The statue's upper body and arms are completely covered, and the statue's left hand is clutching an upright spear. The sleeve is down just enough to show the prayer beads; the same beads that are still around her wrist.

"I was merely being polite, Lady Kaede. Some consider it rude to disturb someone during prayer." At the foot of the statue, there were trinkets and offerings. The villagers travel several miles, climb what seems like a mountain of stairs, and then trek all the way out to the mountain to praise her name and ask for her continued protection. As if she would ever abandon her village.

"Why are you here, Reigan?" The old priestess rose to her feet, and Reigan met the woman's light brown eyes. She remembers when Kaede barely reached her knee; it seems like no time has passed at all, but the lines of time are written across the woman's face.

"To power the mountain up, of course." She stepped past the statue and over to the mountain, and she laid her palms flat against the rocky surface. Her energy slowly flowed out of her and into the stone itself, and she closed her eyes throughout the energy transfer. When she was done, she stumbled back a few steps and fell flat on her ass in front of her statue.

"Why do you keep us safe? You are a demon, Reigan. You fed on the flesh of humans for centuries, and you continue to eat other demons to this day. Stories of your brother and the demons that he spars with are told even here, and your name is among them. The villagers do not know that Aoyama was named after a powerful demon; they believe you are a guardian, a goddess, but I know better."

At the end of Kaede's speech, Raigen flopped onto her back. The ground was rough against the exposed part of her shoulders and back, and the end of her braid tickled against the top of her left shoulder. Kaede isn't wrong. She embraced her demon heritage for centuries; at her class, she had to eat to survive. Even now, only eating demons keep her at a weaker level. There's a statue looming above her that reminds her of why she doesn't eat humans. Not anymore. Above her the sky was such a clear blue, a lighter color than her own eyes, and she likes the sky of the Human World. It's so…peaceful.

"I believed I was a human. I prayed to the gods, carved prayer beads, and swore to protect those that could not protect themselves. Finding out that I was a really a demon…it wasn't much of a surprise. Raizen and I were never like the other demon slayers, and now we know why. Still, I made a promise. Raizen and I built that temple with our bare hands. Blessed it. Crafted weapons made from the bones of the demons we slew. This village is mine and will always be mine."

"I suspected as much," Kaede said and smiled down at her. Aoyama…it means blue mountain. She keeps the entire territory safe; the energy entwined with this mountain keeps her village safe.

"Where is your niece?" Kaede's young niece is being prepared to become the next priestess, and it will be her duty to help the village.

"Gathering herbs for the sick. She is quite good at healing." The pride in the priestess's voice was nice to hear, and Reigan smiled at the sound. This is why she likes visiting the Human World. She always soaks up the feeling of peacefulness while she is here. "You are leaving soon."

"Raizen and the others are planning another trip to this world soon. I like to stay at the palace when Raizen is gone; it shouldn't be left unattended." They both know that Raizen and the others are coming to this world to feed, but Kaede said nothing. Reigan and the priestesses of Aoyama have an understanding. She keeps them safe, and they do not go looking for the demons that raid this world.

"I will see you again, Reigan," Kaede said and turned away. Once the priestess was far enough away, out of hearing distance, Reigan looked up at the detail that went into the braid on her statue. It was clear that the statue was made out of love; love that she does not really deserve.

"No, you will not, Kaede. Soon, you will be at rest."

Reigan stayed until the light sky turned dark, and she rolled her shoulders once she was standing again. The barrier between the worlds wasn't far off, but she didn't rush towards it. She felt the warm air against her skin and breathed in the pure air of this world, and the change was immediate when she crossed the barrier. The blue sky turned into a dark violet, the color of a bruise that has settled into the skin, and the first pale blue moon was already in the sky. In a few hours, a lighter pink moon will join it. Even the air feels different. Heavier. Thicker. Lightning crackled above her, and she was still looking upwards when she was joined by another.

"Every time you return from the Human World, you have the strangest smile on your face." Reigan looked back down but not too far, because little Natsume has grown to be six inches taller than her.

"I like the Human World," Reigan shrugged. The twins stayed in the palace with them, and they all took turns raising the shadow demons. Raizen, Kokou (who sadly is still around and in Raizen's bed), Enki, Souketsu, Shu, and a few others have joined them over the years. Together they have raised and trained the younger twins into great warriors, and Reigan is proud of them.

"It feels…too light. Like I could float away at any moment." They're walking back towards the palace now, where the others will be waiting for them, and Reigan hummed low in her throat.

"It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? Like you could fly if you wanted to," Reigan said as they approached the front of the palace. All of the S-Class demons were already assembled outside, and Reigan moved over to Raizen at the same time Natsume went to Kojou's side.

"You smell like stone. Protecting our village?" Even though Raizen has fully given into his demon urges, he still thinks of Aoyama as theirs. Not that it had a name when they first built the temple, but the name doesn't matter. The territory is theirs.

"Of course. Be careful, brother mine." She had to raise up onto her toes to wrap her arms around Raizen's neck, and she felt his strong arms crossing over her back.

"Always, sister mine."

Watching them all leave left her feeling empty, but she knows they'll return soon. They always do. There's something about the Human World that makes the demons feel unsettled, no matter how much they brag about their conquests and adventures. Demons belong in the Demon World, and humans belong in the Human World. The palace was quiet as she made her way back towards her room, and she discarded her dirty pants and bindings for a thorough washing. Once the dirt and grime of the past few days was gone, she slipped into a simple dress to sleep in. She left her hair free around her for once and marveled at the way it brushed past her shoulder blades. She will have to cut it again soon. Her bed was soft and warm when she finally fell onto it, and she was asleep in minutes.

 **.xXx.**

" _It is a boy," the older woman said. The small child in her arms squirmed and cried out, and the woman lying on the ground grit her teeth as she forced herself to sit up._

" _Is he human?" When the older woman just looked at her, the new mother narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Is he human?!"_

" _Yes. The boy is fully human. What he received from his father is buried deep inside and will remain that way." The mother smiled as her face paled and blood pooled around her body, and she was dead in moments. The older woman pulled the newborn closer to her and spoke quietly, promising that he would live. He would live._

 **.xXx.**

" _It is a curse!" A finger was pointing right at the wrapped bundle, and the woman holding the small bundle clutched it even tighter to her chest._

" _He is my son! He has done nothing wrong!" The woman, who had to be the boy's mother, clung to him with white knuckles._

" _His very existence is wrong! He will be our ruination! I am sorry, but we cannot allow it to live."_

" _No! No!"_

 _ **.**_ **xXx.**

" _Congratulations! It's a boy!" She gazed at the boy, who was the very likeness of his father, and felt pride and sorrow choke off her words. She reached forward to hold him, to prove to herself that he was real, and she felt hot tears tracking down her cheeks as she pulled him close._

" _He's beautiful." The words were said in a feminine voice, a voice that she knew and loved but has yet to hear, and she agreed. He was a beautiful boy, and she was never going to get to see him grow. Her precious son was going to grow up without her, because she has a promise to keep._

 **.xXx.**

" _It is time. The boy is being born." She held onto her son so tight that he cried out, but he could barely be heard over her cries. When she agreed to sacrifice, she didn't imagine this. Her son for his._

" _I don't want to lose him. I can't lose him!" Gentle hands took the small baby from her arms and lightly shushed him, and she bent down to pepper kisses across his face. She promised to never stop loving him, to never stop loving any of them, and to see him again one day. He will be a man by then, and she will be a story._

 **.xXx.**

 _Nurses and doctors ran to and fro as they tried to find the source of the power outage, but the tired young woman lying in the hospital bed didn't care. She was holding her baby in her arms for the first time, and he was looking up at her without making a sound. She has felt him growing inside of her, cried the first time she felt him kick, and screamed as he was brought into this world. Her son…her_ son _._

 **.xXx.**

Reigan woke up screaming with a pair of small hands clutched on her shoulders. Shikaku was sitting on her stomach and gripping her shoulders to keep her pinned to the bed, and Reigan focused on the woman's pale blue eye as she tried to regulate her breathing. All of the images in her head were jumbled, distorted. It felt like a storm was raging inside of her brain, and she suddenly realized she was crying. She wasn't sure why she was crying, or for who, because none of it made any sense.

"What was that?" Shikaku is a better seer than her; she must have sensed what Reigan was going through, and maybe the raven demon can clear some things up for her.

"The future, yours. Well, it effects your future. Bit of a theme, hmm?" Shikaku let go of her shoulders and sat up, but she's still sitting on Reigan's stomach.

"There was so much pain and loss, when there should have been happiness. I don't…what…I can't—"

"Shh, Rei, it'll all make sense later. You know how these things are. They'll make sense when the time comes. Get some more rest. The others will be back soon." Shikaku moved so that she was lying next to Reigan as she spoke, and Reigan slowly relaxed as Shikaku's body heat chased away the chill still clinging to her skin. This time when she slept, she only dreamed of eyes the same color as blood.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** There were hints of Hiei in this chapter, so that's a little better, right? Also, the beginning parts that show "The Present" are going to be like little recaps until the story catches up with the present time. I'm going through it as fast as I can, but I still want to tell the story right.

I'm making all of the "monks" earth elementals. I'm not sure why, maybe because Tourin looked like a desert in the anime, but I like it. So, yeah. Tourin's army is made up of earth elementals that look like monks. The lion demon is obviously Kokou, who I love. Kokou will always be my queen. I'm also trying to slowly bring in all of Raizen's old sparring partners. I won't go into much detail on all of them, because the anime didn't, but I do have some favorites. (Enki and Kokou, obviously. Souketsu cracks me up. I like Natsume and Kojou; their fights in the Demon World Tournament were pretty epic.)

So, the ending dream sequences…does anyone want to guess who they're about? Each sequence is about a different son, and they'll all be brought up again. I'd love to hear your theories!

 **MissLini:** Thank you for the review! I hope you liked the update!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Yeah, I changed the name mostly to remind myself that I'm creating a new character. It's to keep me from slipping into old habits. I'll miss the tails and ears, but I like the idea of her as a Mazoku demon. Even though her only marking is on her chest. I'm trying to keep the chapters long, but I promise to update as often as I can! Thank you for the review!

 **shirohara:** I like telling stories. The past, the present (the anime), and the future will all be in this story. I'm so glad you liked the story, and thank you for the review!

 **DaurthNoS:** I'm glad you liked LWIYF so much! I'm hoping this story will be better; I think I learned from my mistakes. Thank you for the compliment and for the review!

 **Sam165:** I hope you enjoyed the update, and thank you for the review!


	3. Free Will And All

**Author's Note:** One quick little warning, before you keep reading, this story won't have any canon pairings. Probably not any fan favorites either. I like writing things out of the norm, it makes it more interesting, so keep that in mind. There won't be any Yusuke/Keiko, Kuwabara/Yukina, or Koenma/Botan. Or any other fan favorite. If you want to know the pairings ahead of time to make sure that it's not something you hate, feel free to message me. I just wanted to give a heads-up before the story caught up with the anime and then continued on.

Thank you to everyone who has favorited this story and followed it! Believe me, I read every email and smile. And a big THANK YOU to my reviewers! You're the ones that inspire me to keep writing, and I've replied down below!

 **Post Date:** 13 July 2016

 **Word Count:** 6555

* * *

 **Chapter Three  
Free Will And All**

 **Present: March 1996**

"I don't get it. She was a demon, and the villagers worshipped her?" Yusuke asked.

"The villagers didn't know she was a demon. Only the priestesses that stayed in the temple knew Reigan's true heritage; they were the only ones that knew Reigan returned year after year to pour her energy into the mountain and keep the area safe. That is why the town is called Aoyama. Her demonic energy makes the mountain look blue." Genkai's voice was not a shock, because the old psychic has come to visit her in her prison. It's a kindness that Reigan won't soon forget.

"Is that why I haven't heard of her? She didn't spar with Raizen and his old friends?" Old friends…they are still alive. If she focuses enough, she can feel them.

"Reigan was an S-Class demon like all the others, but she acted more as a diplomat for Raizen. Helped keep the peace, but that doesn't mean she couldn't fight." Past tense. They all talk about her as if she's dead. Maybe she is.

"And just how do you know this, Kurama?" Yusuke's direct tone reminds her of Raizen so much that it hurts, but it also calms her.

"I did a job for her once, around fifteen hundred years ago."

 **491**

"What is the meaning of this?" Reigan leaned back in Raizen's throne and smiled up at the very tall fox demon standing just inside the doorway. He was holding a thick lock of hair wrapped around a thin bloody stick, and Reigan smiled. She could smell the goat's blood from where she was sitting.

"It's an invitation." The fox demon standing before her is known for being a ruthless thief, so she's not going to let her guard down around him. She had no idea that he was so pretty though. It's all the silver hair, cute silver ears, and even the fluffy silver tail resting calmly behind him.

"An invitation for what?" He sounds calm, and she can see the way that his golden eyes are moving over her form. He's not interested in her sexually; he's trying to read her, understand her. It should be easy, because she's an open book.

"You're a thief. I need you to steal something for me." He raised a single brow as he walked farther into the room, and Reigan stayed sprawled in the throne. Raizen and all the others are in the Human World, so she's the only one in the palace. Shikaku might be around somewhere, and Raizen's newest pet project is keeping the army in shape. (She likes Hokushin. He's respectful and smiles when she makes fun of Raizen.)

"You killed one of my men so that I would do a job for you?" He's slowly circling the room, getting closer to her, but he won't get a rise out of her. He's strong, an A-Class for sure, but he won't attack her. She's caught his interest.

"Who said I killed him? Your goat is sitting comfortably in the dungeon, completely unharmed. Well, he's missing a lock of hair and has a scratch on his pretty face, but that's all." The tall fox finally stopped directly in front of her, and Reigan let her head lazily fall back against the throne. It's a comfy throne, for being made of stone.

"I work for no one but myself. Find someone else to do your dirty work." He turned on his heel and moved towards the door, and Reigan watched the way his tail lazily twitched as he prepared to leave his second in command behind and marveled at such a cold-hearted creature.

"You haven't heard the best part." He paused before he could reach the doorway, and Reigan knew then that he never intended to leave. He knew she was holding back, and he wanted her to talk. It worked.

"I'm listening but make it quick, my lady." The title was spoken so coldly that she felt a phantom chill, and she smiled. He's even better than the rumors said.

"Khanna has something of mine. A spear; the handle will be made of wood that's thousands of years old, and the blade is made from the femur of a bear demon. It has no value to anyone but me, but Khanna has many other treasures for you to plunder." His eyes were so cold and penetrating, but she can feel his fate. One day, he won't feel so cold.

"I will do this on one condition." Most would demand that she not hurt his second in command, but this demon is not like the rest.

"Name it."

"Why can you not take it yourself? Khanna is powerful, but you are Lady Reigan of Tourin. The King's sister. What's stopping you?" Yes, information and understanding is what means the most to this demon.

"Khanna's mate killed me. When I was brought back to life, I killed him. She knows that the spear holds sentimental value to me, so she has put up special wards to make sure that I specifically cannot get in. I want my spear, you like a challenge and treasure. It's a win-win for everyone."

"And Yomi?" Ah, yes, the goat.

"I won't harm him. Well, not anymore. He put up quite the fight," she smiled. The goat demon had struggled the entire time she lugged him to the palace, which wasn't easy to do since he was a foot and some inches taller than her. He'd calmed down a little once she explained her plan and promised not to actually hurt him; she just needed to get the fox's attention.

"Give me three days." The tall fox never faltered as he left the room, and Reigan sat forward so that she could roll the tension out of her shoulders. That was…intense.

"You'll be back in two, Yoko," she whispered and got up to go check on her prisoner.

 **.xXx.**

"You told him I was in the dungeon?" Yomi leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, and the small Mazoku demon sitting on the balcony railing grinned at him large enough to show the points of her fangs. She may be short, but the little thing is strong. She was able to drag him off and hold him down long enough for her to explain her plan, but he never thought that it would actually work.

"I couldn't tell him that you were relaxing in one of the nicer rooms of the palace, could I? It would have made me look weak, and no one wants to look weak in front of Yoko Kurama."

He doesn't know what to make of this female demon. He's heard rumors of Raizen's sister, but the rumors said she was weaker than her brother. Then again, he's not sure that there is any demon that can rival Raizen's strength. Not if the rumors are true. This female demon isn't weak, and she carries herself like a warrior. Always on alert even though she looks relaxed and sometimes she gets a faraway look in her blue eyes. Like she's seeing something that he can't. She is also beautiful, in a wild sort of way. Her dark blonde hair is mostly braided, but a few strands stick to her cheeks and the sides of her neck. The bindings around her upper body only cover her ample breasts, so that the dark blue marking on the center of her chest can be seen. Her dark pants are so loose that only the dark blue belt she wears keeps them on her shapely hips. Then there's the other markings…he can smell the power that comes from the green vines and black feathers wrapping around her right arm. He also saw the black raven stretched across her upper back, and it felt like the raven's dark blue eyes had been watching him.

"No, you don't. Yoko is ruthless, but he's loyal in his own way. If he said he'll get your spear, he'll get it," Yomi said after a moment of silence. She was sitting perfectly balanced on the balcony railing with her legs crossed under her, and her head was tipped back so that she could look up at the red sky.

"Oh, I know he will." There's that look and smile again, like she knows some big secret.

"Khanna talked her way into Yoko's bed and then made off with one of his treasure chests, and he's never forgiven her. It's been a few centuries, but Yoko never forgets those that betray him." Yomi startled at the sound of the new voice, but Reigan didn't move at all. Another female demon walked out of the bedroom that was his for the time being and out onto the balcony, and she looked over at him with one pale blue eye. The other was covered by a black eyepatch.

"How do you know that?" he asked her. Yomi's been with Yoko for the past few centuries, and he's never heard of anyone stealing from Yoko. It's just not possible.

"I know things," she shrugged. Her shaggy hair was a darker silver than Yoko's, and it barely reached past her chin in some places. She was also dressed strangely. The shirt she was wearing was white and sleeveless, and there was a deep vee in it that showed off the silver pendant just above her cleavage. (It looked like an eye, hanging from a silver necklace.) Her pants stopped extremely high on her thighs, and she was barefoot. A thick belt was looped around her thin hips, and a sword as wide as her torso was strapped to it. The blade nearly touched the ground even though it was hanging at an angle. She was the same height as Reigan, and she held herself the same way. Like a warrior. Relaxed and alert.

"What kinds of things?" The woman, which he could now tell was a raven demon, smiled at him. One gloved hand rose and touched the bottom of her eyepatch, and Reigan quickly leaned forward.

"Shikaku, don't!" The eyepatch flipped up, and Yomi was suddenly looking into a black void. There was no whiteness at all; her entire left eye was just black, and Yomi felt like he was falling into a dark pit. After what felt like centuries, he took a shuddering breath and slowly slid down the wall that he was still leaning against. The eyepatch was back in place, and the raven demon was looking down at him with her head cocked to the side. He didn't like the look in her pale blue eye, but he preferred that eye to the other one.

"What the…What did you do to me?!" His yell sounded like a hoarse whisper, because it feels like he hasn't drawn a breath in days.

"That was very rude, Shikaku. You can't just read people like that without their permission." Reigan was standing next to the raven demon now, and she was glaring right into the woman's pale eye since they were the exact same height. Shikaku was slimmer, but Yomi had a feeling that she could hold her own in a fight. Especially with that damn hidden eye of hers.

"I had to. You can feel it too, Rei, that's why you chose him. Not because he was close to Yoko; taking any of Yoko's men would have gotten the possessive fox's attention. You chose him, and I know why. He may be foolish now—"

"—hey!—"

"—but he will be very important. His destiny is tied to yours."

"You wanna explain what the crazy bird is talking about?" he asked and looked over at Reigan. The Mazoku was looking down at him, but her eyes were clouded over. She might be facing him, but she can't see him.

"Shikaku is a seer. She saw your future, but she can't tell you what she saw. If she does, it could alter the way things are supposed to be. Can't have that." The last part was mumbled, mostly to herself, and her dark blue eyes slowly cleared until she could actually see him again.

"So, I've got some kind of great destiny, huh?" The raven looked down at him, and he had to force himself not to flinch as her eye ran over his sitting form.

"Possibly. It's either that or you'll die before you have a chance at that destiny. The choice is yours."

"Free will and all," Reigan added.

"You're both insane," he muttered to himself. He can't wait for Yoko to come back so that he can get out of here.

 **.xXx.**

"I didn't even realize. I just saw him, recognized the description as one of Yoko's men…I knew where to go to find him, but I didn't realize I needed him. Why him?" Yomi is sleeping in the room provided for him, and she's sitting in the throne room with Shikaku. The raven disappeared yesterday after reading Yomi, because using her left eye drains her energy. Reigan spent the day with Yomi in the palace, listening to the goat's tales of adventure and thievery. It sounded fun and dangerous, and she kept waiting for some kind of sign. To see what Shikaku had.

"You know I can't say, Rei. One wrong word, and everything changes," the raven whispered and looked out across the dark violet sky. The second moon, small and a light pink, was already tracking across the sky.

"Is it something bad?" A pale blue eye looked over at her, and Shikaku just smiled. Reigan sighed and leaned her elbows against the railing since she's actually standing for once. "Right, that would be telling."

"Try not to worry so much, Rei. The future will happen as it's meant to, whether we see it or not." Shikaku's a better seer than her, but they both understand the burden of knowing things. Past, present, future. Everything gets jumbled up sometimes, and Reigan has a hard time separating everything.

"A seer?" The deep voice came from behind them, and Reigan was impressed that Yoko was able to make it all the way to the throne room without her realizing it. She knew he'd be back in two days, but she thought he'd be back after the first sun rose. She was a few hours off.

"Want to know your future, fox?" Shikaku asked the question as they both turned around, and Reigan noticed the way that the other woman stiffened as she met Yoko's eyes. The fox had stepped around the throne and moved out onto the balcony, and Shikaku was staring up into his golden eyes. Reigan grabbed Shikaku's wrist, felt the thick material of her gloves against her palm and fingers, but the raven didn't seem to notice.

"What have you seen, little bird?" Reigan let go as Shikaku stepped forward, and she leaned back against the balcony to see what would happen. Shikaku walked right up to Yoko and tipped her head back, because Yoko is a good two feet taller than the both of them. The muscles in her legs flexed as she rose up onto her toes, and she pressed her palm flat against his cheek. The fox was holding completely still, with his head lightly cocked to one side, and Shikaku took in a deep breath and slowly released it.

"No, not yet. You're not ready." Shikaku's voice was a quiet whisper, so low that Reigan could barely hear her. Yoko's ears twitched, and he raised a brow at her as if asking a question only she could hear. "It's a shame, really. You're so pretty in this form."

"You have a strange way of seducing." Reigan was surprised when Shikaku threw her head back in a laugh, but Yoko was clearly the more surprised one when Shikaku dared to reach even higher and lightly stroke one silver ear.

"Not yet. Not until you're ready." Shikaku slunk around Yoko's tall form, and Yoko turned to watch her walk away. He kept his back to Reigan until Shikaku couldn't be seen again, and Reigan smiled at the look of confusion on his face. Shikaku tends to have that effect. He seemed to shake the confusion off and stepped closer, and she watched as his nostrils flared.

"He's a good storyteller, your goat." Yoko could clearly smell Yomi's scent on her, since they spent two days in the same room.

"He talks too much and without thought." Something was tossed in her direction, and Reigan stretched her hand out on instinct. The wood was smooth and cool beneath her palm, and it shocked her to see that the spear was still in perfect condition.

"I am sure this is not all you took?" She placed the bottom of the spear against the floor and ran her hand up the length of it, and she reached up with her other hand to touch against the bone that made up the blade. She likes her naginata, it's served her well over the centuries, but she has missed her spear.

"It is all I brought here." A laugh came from behind him, and Yomi was still smiling when he walked out onto the balcony. Reigan knew without asking that Shikaku had gotten him, but the raven isn't going to come back out.

"A spear for a goat. Seems fair to me." Maybe she can change the spear into something else, something smaller that she can keep on her.

"Offend me again, my lady, and I will not be so accommodating. Come, Yomi." The goat waited until Yoko's back was turned before waving goodbye to her, and Reigan shook her head. She'll see them both again, one day. The halls were quiet as she walked back to her room, and she moved right past her bed and out onto her own balcony. Shikaku was standing on the railing and looking at the ground below, and Reigan stopped at the railing next to her.

"See something you like?" Yoko and Yomi were steadily moving farther away from the palace, and out of Tourin if Reigan's senses were right, and Shikaku's eyes were trained on them.

"He's pretty, but he's so cold. I'll wait for him to warm up." The raven definitely saw something, but she'll never tell. No matter how much Reigan begs. "You should cut that down into a dagger. It's the bone that matters, right? You killed the bear before he could kill Raizen. Grabbed fur with your hands and twisted until he stopped moving, and you were the one that carved him up. Fed on the meat. Dressed in the fur. Killed with the bone."

"There were three of them. Raizen was in the process of killing the second one when the third one tried to sneak up on him from behind, and I attacked. All I knew was that I had to keep Raizen safe. We were not even a decade old. All we had was each other." Raizen had held her afterwards, ran his hands through her bloody hair, and thanked her for saving his life.

"A dagger will be good for you. Something to remind you of who you are, species notwithstanding." Shikaku smoothly jumped down from the railing so that they were eye to eye, and a gloved hand gently touched under her chin. Sometimes Shikaku thinks of her as a younger sister; they're bonded, through the burden of sight and from the gift Reigan received from Shikaku. The vines, the feathers, the raven…all of them were created from Shikaku's own demonic energy.

"And who am I?" Pale blue met a darker shade, and the thin fingers on her chin forced her head to lift a little higher.

"You are Reigan. Friend, protector, sister. Never let go of who you are." Shikaku's hands framed her face, and Reigan closed her eyes as a soft kiss was placed against her forehead. "Go, rest. You have nothing to fear tonight, Rei."

"Goodnight, Shikaku." The words were whispered, because Shikaku was already gone. Reigan laid her spear and naginata next to her bed before collapsing onto it, and she fell into an easy sleep within minutes.

 **.xXx.**

"Their strength is impressive, but we should work on stamina. That's what wins wars," Reigan said as she cut away at her spear. She was taking Shikaku's advice and cutting it down into a dagger, the blade was the right length for it, but the handle definitely needed to be recrafted. She was on Raizen's throne, and Hokushin was sitting on the floor in front of her.

"I'll create a new training schedule immediately," Hokushin said and bowed to her.

"I'm gone less than a week, and my kingdom doesn't even notice."

"Raizen!" She dropped the knife she was using and her spear at the sound of her brother's voice, and she saw Hokushin's rare smile as she jumped over him and onto Raizen. He laughed as he fell back a step, and she wrapped her limbs completely around him. She hates being parted from him, but she knows she can't leave the palace undefended when he goes to the Human World.

"Careful, Rei, or I'll think you missed me." She lightly pulled on some of his long hair as she dropped back to her feet, and Raizen ruffled the top of her hair.

"What? No welcome back hug for the rest of us?" Kokou's voice was a low drawl, and she leaned the length of her body against Raizen's side. Reigan leaned up on her toes to look around the female demon and smiled at her other friends.

"Welcome back, everyone!" Kokou mumbled something under her breath as she stepped past her, something that made Raizen laugh, and Reigan bit back a growl. Once they were out of the way, she darted forward and up to give Enki a hug. The giant red goat demon laughed as he lifted her into the air and then tossed her, and a pair of strong arms caught her before she could hit the stone floor.

"Don't you know you can't fly?" Souketsu asked. Reigan would have answered, but she was focused on the three deep gouges in Souketsu's left cheek. It looked like claw marks.

"What happened to you?" She lightly touched the marks and felt bad when Souketsu flinched.

"Well, ya see, I might've…I mean, I didn't, I, uh—"

"Mukuro was near the border when we crossed over, and this idiot propositioned the King because—what was it?—something about the King's lean form in the dawning light. It was very poetic," Shu answered for him. All of the others laughed, and Souketsu managed to blush around the deep marks.

"You really shouldn't be so impulsive," she said and flicked the end of his nose. He dropped her after that, but she managed to land on her feet. "Now, tell me all about your travels. Don't leave out any details."

 **985**

The sky was a beautiful crimson. _(Like his eyes.)_ It seemed to stretch endlessly across Raizen's territory, and streaks of golden lightning streaked through the sky at random intervals. It was beautiful and chaotic, just like the Demon World itself. Everything looked perfect, everything was in its place, so why does she feel like her body is being ripped apart? Something inside of her is screaming and begging for her to do something, but she doesn't know what. The others are around, sparring and taking on challengers, and Raizen is in the Human World. He hasn't fed in a while, but she would know if something was wrong with him. Wouldn't she?

"You always get so tense when he's gone." Shikaku leaned against her side, and Reigan was grateful for the contact. The two demons leaned against each other and looked up at the sky, and Reigan lightly squeezed Shikaku's hand as the sky began to darken.

"It's different this time. Can you see anything, Shikaku? Can you see him?" The world that she sees is just as it always is, but it's not _right_.

"I'm sorry, Rei. It's not my place. Some things cannot be changed." Reigan's eyes squeezed shut, and she pressed her sore temple against the top of Shikaku's shoulder.

"It's going to hurt, isn't it?" The question is redundant, because she's already hurting. Whatever is going to happen, it's going to be soon. It might already be too late.

"It's all about balance. Before you can feel joy, you must feel pain. I wish I could spare you, Rei. It's selfish of me, to even think of trying to change the future just to spare you some pain, but I can't do it. You know the rules." Shikaku truly did sound regretful, and Reigan shifted until she was pressed to Shikaku's side with her arms wrapped around the raven's middle. Fingers moved through her hair, slowly unbraiding it, and she felt her body slowly relax as her soul screamed.

"I need to lay down." They might be the same height, but Reigan has more curves and muscle tone than her slighter friend. Still, Shikaku easily scooped her up into her arms and moved into the bedroom.

"Do not be afraid, my sweet Reigan. The Mazoku were built to withstand the greatest of suffering, and you will survive this." She was buried under blankets but still shivering, and Shikaku was curled around her. The words did not comfort her, because it's not her survival that she's worried about.

 **.xXx.**

"YOU IDIOT!" Reigan woke to the sound of Kokou's echoing yell, and she nearly tripped as she struggled to get out of her cloth prison. Thick locks of hair were sticking to her face and clouding parts of her vision as she stepped into Raizen's throne room, and she could tell that it was full. Souketsu was standing just inside the doorway and leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed. Enki was standing to the side of Raizen's throne, with the others standing behind him. Kokou was standing directly in front of the throne, so that Reigan couldn't see Raizen.

"I have made my decision, Kokou." The lioness growled and whipped her head around, and Reigan's eyes widened as the woman stalked up to her. Kokou is seven inches taller than her and they're evenly matched in strength, and the look in the woman's bright golden eyes was murderous. Strong hands gripped her shoulders, and Reigan's head snapped backwards and forwards as Kokou shook her.

"Talk him out of this nonsense, Rei! Make him see reason!" Kokou was…begging her. Tears were gathering in her eyes, and the hands on her shoulders were shaking.

"Reigan will not change my mind. Nothing and no one will." Raizen's voice was so powerful; the strength of his words made her knees weak, and she doesn't even know what his decision is.

"This is the only home we have ever known, and you would just send us away?" Natsume's voice was cold, and Kujou reached up to grab her shoulder. Leave? Raizen was making them leave?

"It is the only way. I see that now." Kujou nodded and drug Natsume from the room, and Reigan briefly met their eyes as they passed by. The others slowly followed behind them, and Shu lightly touched her shoulder before walking out.

"See ya around, little one." Souketsu said and straightened up. He glanced at Raizen before speaking again, "Or not."

"Souketsu?" The lizard was already gone, and Kokou was standing in front of her with a dead look in her eyes.

"We will respect your decision, Raizen," Enki said quietly.

"Thank you, old friend." Enki was their first friend…and he's being sent away too?

"Come along, Kokou." The lioness didn't move or make a sound as Enki picked her up and tossed her across his shoulder, and Reigan realized that the room was empty. It was just her and Raizen, who was sitting in his throne and looking at her like she wasn't even real. Her knees shook as she walked forward, and she collapsed at Raizen's feet. Her face pressed against his knee, and she felt claws in her hair.

"Oh, brother mine, what have you done?" She can feel a change in him, something that's deep down in his soul, and she looked up into his dark violet eyes.

"I have fallen in love. With a human." After a moment, she crawled her way up his body until she was sitting in his lap. His arms came around her, so that she felt completely surrounded, and she hid her face in his hair.

He talked about being injured and about the woman who helped him. A medicine woman, whose blood and flesh was tainted with various poisons, and who chose to help a demon without a second thought. Raizen did not go into much detail, but she knew that he was changed. After he left her, he stopped and truly thought. He couldn't continue to feed on humans, not after feeling _her_ love. He sent the others away, because nothing is ever going to be the same. Raizen is going to stop eating…Raizen is going to die.

"You can eat like I do. You don't have to die," she whispered once he was done speaking. She pulled back so that she could look into his eyes again, but she can see the resolve there. "You want to die. If you stop eating and prove yourself, maybe you'll get to be with her in the afterlife. Enma hates us, Raizen."

"I have to try, sister mine." His hands were cupping her wet cheeks, because she's been crying steadily since he started talking.

"Then I will stop eating as well. You died for me, and I will do the same for you." Raizen's eyes darkened as his brows drew down, and he had just parted his lips when another voice echoed in the room.

"If you die, Reigan, your entire line dies with you. Only you can keep your line alive." For a brief moment, she thought of a pair of crimson eyes and mourned at never getting to see them.

"Neither of us has children, so the line will die out anyway."

"You are not going to die for me, Reigan!"

"You died for me!"

"Quiet!" Both Mazoku demons went silent at the yell, and they turned to look at Shikaku for the first time since she entered the room. The raven was using her one visible eye to glare at Reigan, and she felt herself shrink at the cold look.

"You can't ask me to watch him die. I won't." When she died, Raizen's heart stopped at the same time as hers. They were born together, died together, were reborn together…they're not meant to be separated.

"You have a choice to make, Reigan. I will tell you what I can and then you both must decide. Understood?" Reigan turned to look at Raizen, and they both nodded. To turn Shikaku down would be insanity.

"Your human lover will have a child, a son. He will be wholly human, as will his children. For generations, your demonic energy will be buried within them and unable to come out until a descendant strong enough is born to carry your power. However, your descendants will die out unless they have someone to look out for them. Without a guardian, your "son" will never be born. With a guardian, he will come to you before your death and give you the closure you need. Raizen will die either way. It is up to you, Reigan, to decide if his son will die with him."

"A son?" She dreamed about sons once…so many years ago. Was one of them Raizen's son? Did she see her nephew?

"I can't return to the Human World, Rei. I don't have the strength." A sob shook her body as she suddenly lashed out, and Raizen held still as she rained punches onto any flesh she could reach. She screamed as she beat against his hard body, because he's going to wither away and die. All of his strength means nothing when he's fighting himself, and she's going to have to let him. She's going to have to let him go.

"You're a real bastard, you know that? You sent them away to spare them from watching your death, but you'll make me watch the living while you slowly die. How is that fair?" Because she understands why Raizen sent away their loyal friends; the friends that they have spent centuries with will not have to see Raizen weaken, but she will.

"I am sorry, Reigan."

"So am I." She slowly slipped off his lap and was amazed that her legs could hold her up, and Shikaku approached her side. She was holding a silver collar in her hand, with an eye etched into the front of it. It resembled the necklace that the raven always wore in a way, except it would wrap tightly around a throat instead of hanging loosely.

"Soon, a barrier will separate the Human World from the Demon World. Only the lowest class of demons will be able to cross over, and the humans will lose their sense of sight over the years. You will need to wear this to conceal your energy; it will make you weaker than you are, but it will enable you to cross-over without hindrance. You will have to spend all of your time in Human World, except for one day. For one day, you will be allowed into this world to see Raizen. You must be a constant guardian. You will know which line to guard. You will feel it."

"How long will it take?" How long before a son is born that is strong enough to survive Raizen's demonic energy? How long will her brother suffer before being granted peace?

"I don't know." Shikaku held up the collar, and Reigan grabbed it with surprisingly steady hands. The collar easily fastened around her neck, and she rolled her shoulders. She still felt strong, but she knew it was contained. Locked away. She could access it if she wanted to, but the collar kept it hidden.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Raizen's eyes were focused on the collar around her throat, and she reached up to start braiding her hair back.

"Once the son is born, you will be sealed away. His destiny must happen without interference, especially from you. You must consent to the seal. At the moment of his birth, you will be sealed away. Only he will be able to release you. Consent." Sealed away from the moment of the son's birth until the son releases her…the same son that will see Raizen before his death. She understands what that means. She won't be with Raizen when he dies. Instead she'll be locked somewhere away from him. Maybe that's for the best. If this is Raizen's destiny, she won't interfere.

"I consent." The skin around her left wrist grew hot, and she watched as dark blue beads appeared around her arm. They rested just above the prayer beads that were still around her wrist, and they've turned into a light cream color over the years. The dark blue beads are bigger, nearly twice the size of the prayer beads, and it feels like they're burning her skin.

"You should go now, Reigan. The child will make her vulnerable." Reigan looked over and met Shikaku's pale blue eye, and the new additions to her body felt like they weighed several tons. She looked across the room at Raizen and imagined for a moment that he still had brown eyes instead of violet…what would his son look like? His direct son? His descendant?

"I'll return in the spring, on the day of our birth. I'll return, and I'll tell you about your son. I'll keep him safe." Shikaku followed her out of the room, and the raven was silent as she walked to her bedroom. Her hair was already put up, and she quickly got dressed. Loose black pants with her dark blue belt, and she secured her folded-up naginata and dagger on her hips. She carefully wrapped her bindings around her chest, and she rested a hand over the mark on her sternum. The same mark that is under Raizen's eye. She shrugged on a plain white shirt over the bindings, one that completely covered her upper body and arms, and Shikaku smoothed down the collar.

"You are a brave and selfless person, Rei, and you are doing the right thing." Reigan knew she'd take comfort in the words later, but they felt hollow at the moment. Raizen is dying, and Reigan is letting him.

"Tell me that again when this is all over." Gloved hands gently held her face, and Reigan closed her eyes as their foreheads touched.

"I will, old friend."

 **.xXx.**

For nine months, Reigan has guarded Raizen's lover. She can see why Raizen loves the strong spirited woman; in her own way, Reigan loves her too. The woman realized early on that she was with child, and Reigan watched the way her eyes clouded over when she also realized that her child carried the blood of a demon. She could have killed him before he even had a chance to live, could have decided not to take the chance, but she didn't. She kept the child safe, and Reigan kept them both safe. Humans and demons alike feared the woman and the child she carried, except for the priestess of Aoyama. Raizen would fall in love with a woman from their village. Satomi is the current priestess, and Reigan likes the older woman. She's in her sixties, which is impressive at this time.

"It is a boy." Satomi said the words as she held the squirming child in her arms, and the boy cried out. Raizen's son has a good set of lungs on him. Raizen's lover struggled to sit up, and Reigan could see the white flash of her teeth as she managed to right herself. For the past two months, she has stayed in the temple with Satomi. The village was not safe.

"Is he human?" When Reigan first returned to the Human World, she met with Satomi and told her the full purpose of her visit. She promised her that the child born would be fully human, but that a half-breed would be born one day. Generations from now. The priestess could have refused to help, but Satomi said it was her duty to serve the Guardian of Aoyama. Below her, in the temple, the new mother narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. "Is he human?!"

"Yes. The boy is fully human. What he received from his father is buried deep inside and will remain that way." Blood was still pouring from the woman's body, and Reigan knew there was nothing she could do to save the woman. Having the child had been too much. Her skin paled as she fell back, and Satomi cradled the boy closer to her. "Shh, little one. You will live. You will be strong and brave, and you will have children of your own someday. You are lucky, little one. Someone is looking after you, and she will keep you safe."

"Safe…I'll keep him safe."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I know it's rushing by pretty fast, but I didn't want to drag out the past for too long. There's still a few chapters of the past left to go, if I stick to my current outline, but it shouldn't be too long before this story is caught up with the "Present." Also, now we know what the first son dream was! If anyone wants to guess at the others, I'd love to hear them! I've already started working on the next chapter, so it should be out soon.

Also, for anyone who's curious, I also updated _**Enough**_. That's my Yusuke/Koto story, and it's a lot of fun to write so I'm not giving up on it.

 **bubbles22293:** I miss the old story too, but I really do think this one is going to be better. Yeah, the chastity thing was a bit much so I decided to change that. In this story, Rei knows for a fact that she won't be with her true mate for a very long time, so why wait? I do miss Tiger, but I want to keep the OCs to a minimum. Shikaku is like the new Tiger, but there's a bit of a role reversal since she's older than Rei. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanakima1:** I'm so glad you like the story so far! LWIYF is still the biggest story I've ever written, so deciding to write this story was a little scary. I'm glad people seem to like it so far. And I like Natsume and Kujou, so they'll show up again. As for old characters, we've already talked about that. Less OCs, more canon characters. The amount of OCs was one of the biggest complaints with LWIYF, so I'm trying to keep it simple this time. Thank you for the review!

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** Thank you for reading the story and thank you for the review! (PS: I really like your username!)


	4. Tell Me A Story

**Author's Note:** Not much to say here…Enjoy the chapter!

 **Post Date:** 21 July 2016

 **Word Count:** 5210

* * *

 **Chapter Four  
** **Tell Me A Story**

 **Present: March 1996**

"A seer? You're saying that she could see the future?" She knew that Yusuke was pointing at her…well, at her statue.

"There were rumors, and Yomi said that she was different. When she spoke to the other seer, they understood one another. There were also rumors about how she knew things she shouldn't, or couldn't, know." Kurama's voice was so much softer now, carried less of an edge, but there was still wisdom and curiosity there.

"Not to be insensitive, but where is she now?" Everything seemed to quiet at Botan's question, and Reigan could tell that they were all looking at one another. "Surely you would have noticed by now if your aunt was in Demon World, right, Yusuke?"

"I've never seen her. I think I'd remember." His eyes were on her, taking in her features, and she knows what he looks like. He looks like Raizen when they were…when they thought they were human.

"Have any of the others mentioned her?" The deep voice shocked her; it's the first time that he's spoken, and it cuts at her sharper than any blade.

"Not a word. I'm sure one of 'em would've mentioned it if Raizen had family kickin' around," was Yusuke's answer.

"We didn't say anything because we didn't see the point. Reigan disappeared at the same time that we went into seclusion. No one knows what happened to her, but none of us have felt her energy for centuries. We believe that she is dead." This voice was calm and sounded unemotional, but Reigan can taste the sorrow and loss in the air.

"Hey, Natsume! I thought you were kickin' Chu's ass all over Tourin?" Yusuke's voice was light, and something sweeter lightened the negative energy in the air.

"She gave the idiot a break before he broke," Kujou answered. A pained grunt followed the statement, which meant that Natsume had elbowed her twin, and Yusuke took a moment to introduce everyone. Once the introductions were made, Yusuke turned the topic back to her.

"So, what do you know about my auntie?" He's looking at her again; it's almost like a physical touch, and she's so close to freedom.

"We know quite a bit. Reigan, Raizen, and the others raised us. We lived in the palace before it became a tomb," Natsume started.

"Listened to the old stories, heard the truth instead of the rumors, and she was the one who saved us after our parents were killed. Took us from a battlefield and kept us safe," Kujou continued.

"For centuries, we learned from her and fought next to her. She might not have had Raizen's physical strength, but she was strong in her own right. We thought for a while that she might be here, in the Human World."

"Because of the village?" Botan asked.

"When their mother was killed and they were brought to this world, they truly believed they were human. They created the first temple that stood here, and they were known as demon slayers. After saving a village, Reigan was taken by a demon. Raizen followed after them, but he didn't catch them in time. The demon killed Reigan. When her human heart stopped beating, so did Raizen's. That is how connected the two of them were. When one died, the other followed." Natsume told the story the way that Enki had told it to her, because he was the one that liked reading bedtime stories to the little twins.

"We assumed that Reigan chose to die with him, or even earlier. The two of them…they were more than just blood. They were twins." Reigan knew Kujou looked over at his own twin sister as he said it, and she felt a small sense of peace. Even now, after all these years, they still have each other. That's something at least.

"Assumed?" Yusuke asked.

"Raizen said goodbye. He might have said it a thousand years before his actual death, but he said goodbye. Reigan wouldn't have left without doing the same." Natsume sounded so sure, and she's right. Reigan would never leave them without saying something, but she had a job to do.

"So, where is she?" Yusuke asked what they were all thinking, and Reigan screamed inside of the stone. Trying to tell him that she was with them and that he needed to let her out.

"She's right here, of course." Knuckles knocked against her ribs, and she nearly laughed at the sound of her old friend's voice. Finally, they're getting to the good part.

"Right here? As in, she's…oh my." Botan's voice trailed off at the end, but Reigan can still taste all the confusion in the air.

"Reigan made a deal. She locked away her power, shielded herself, and came to the Human World. For centuries, she has watched over her bloodline and kept her family safe. Without her, your ancestors wouldn't have survived long enough for you to be born." Genkai said the last part while looking right at Yusuke, and she could feel the tension building inside of her. Why does there have to be such a buildup for everything? Can't Genkai just spit it out and get her out of here?

"How do you know all of this?" Natsume asked. It sounded closer to a command, with just a hint of respect. Looks like she's gonna have to talk to the twins about their manners.

"Because my family has worked alongside of Reigan since the very beginning. She is the guardian, and my family were priestesses. I am all that's left." Genkai's sorrow was thick and choking, but there's nothing that Reigan can do for her now. Just like she couldn't do anything _then_.

"You've got some explaining to do, grandma." Yusuke's voice was all growl, and Reigan could just imagine the glare that Genkai was sending his way.

"Sit down and shut up, and I'll tell it to you the way that it was told to me."

 **Spring 986**

"Hello, brother mine." Dark violet eyes widened as he took in her presence, and Reigan locked the large muscles in her legs as his body collided against hers. It's been a little over a year since she left, and she has missed her brother. She's missed everything about the Demon World actually, and it cuts at her to know that she can only stay here for a day.

"Tell me everything, sister mine. Absolutely everything."

Raizen sat on his throne, with her in his lap, as she told him all about the past year in the Human World. She told him everything that he wanted to know about his human lover, and she held him as he mourned her passing. In all honesty, she wept for the woman as well. Satomi had gripped her shoulders and told her that the woman's death was not her fault; she was never meant to survive, and there was nothing Reigan could have done to change her fate. The child lived. So Reigan talked about Raizen's son while running her fingers through his thick white hair. His son, Ryu, looked like Raizen before he changed into his demon appearance. Thick black hair, shining brown eyes, and a grin that looked both sweet and terrifying in turns.

"How did you get the priestess to agree?" Raizen asked once she was finished.

"I told Satomi the truth, all of it. I have never hidden anything from my priestesses, and I'm not going to start now. They can't help me unless they know the truth." Reigan decided, very early on, to keep herself hidden from Raizen's line. Hiding from her own blood seems foolish, but it's actually selfish. So very selfish.

"You left me just now." Raizen carefully touched the tip of a claw just under her left eye, and she smiled as she reached up to take his hand in both of hers. "We do not have much time together. Just for now, stay here with me."

"For now, I am all yours."

Several hours later, after the first moon had risen, she left the palace. With every step, she felt a little heavier. By the time she reached the portal that separated the two worlds, she felt like she weighed a ton. She spent several minutes just staring at the crackling energy that showed where the portal was located, and she wrapped her arms around her upper body. Once she crosses over, it'll be another year before she can come back. Time passes differently for her, a year doesn't mean anything when you're already several centuries old, but it's different when she can't move freely.

"Your decision is not selfish." It was only years of training that kept her from jumping at the sound of the unexpected voice. Instead of jumping, she just tensed up for a long breath and then looked over her shoulder.

"I never thought I'd see the day where you were wrong, Shikaku." Gloved hands reached for hers once the raven was in front of her, and Reigan forced her head up so that she could look into her friend's pale blue eye.

"I am not wrong, and you are right. Time does move differently for you, and you should hide yourself from your blood. It will be centuries before a descendant is born that can withstand the burden of your brother's power."

"It will take centuries?" When Reigan first asked how long it will take, Shikaku said that she didn't know. Going by the look in Shikaku's eye, the raven just found out herself.

"Yes, centuries. It will be hard on you, to watch over them without interacting, but connecting with all of them will only hurt you more. You will have to watch them all die, until he is born." What Shikaku is saying makes perfect sense, but it still feels selfish to her. She's staying away from her own blood to protect herself. That's the simple truth of it.

"You're too hard on yourself, Rei. Lighten up." Reigan opened her mouth to protest, but Shikaku pushed her through the portal before she could get a word out. Reigan yelled out her frustration as she blinked up at the Human World sky, and she thought she could hear Shikaku's laughter on the other side. The portal closed then, and Reigan knew it wouldn't open again until this day next year.

"Look at your terrifying aunt, yelling at empty air," Satomi cooed. Reigan turned around to see Satomi standing on the other side of her statue, and little Ryu was nestled in the priestess's arms. Wide brown eyes looked over at her, and Reigan smoothed a hand over his thick hair. The portal was created by Shikaku, she'd know that energy anywhere, and it'll only open once a year. A portal at the base of the mountain in Human World that opens up in Tourin.

"I am terrifying, little one, and don't you forget it," she said with a quiet growl. Ryu laughed and clapped a hand against her cheek, which only made Satomi laugh.

"Come along, Reigan, and tell us about your day." Reigan followed after the priestess and looked up at the dark night sky. Centuries.

" _Dear, Koenma…please let me be strong enough to endure this."_

 **1279**

"You are a welcome sight, sister mine." It's been nearly three hundred years since she left to watch over Raizen's line…nearly three hundred years since Raizen stopped eating and sent everyone away. Raizen has not heard from them since they left, and no one else has heard from them either. Hokushin believes that they have went into seclusion, somewhere in the Far North. The Far North is full of dark forests, and most demons don't go anywhere near the territory. It'd be a good place to disappear.

"Has something happened?" After about a hundred years of starving himself, Raizen's stomach started to growl. Now the sound can be heard all over Demon World; Shikaku laughed when she told Reigan that the Demon World uses the sound to mark time. It growls every evening like clockwork.

"Taiyo has been defeated." Taiyo is old, even by their standards, but Reigan was sure that she could never be defeated. Then again, she once thought the same thing about Raizen.

"Do you think Kokou knows?" She might not have gotten along with Kokou, but Taiyo was Kokou's cousin. Kokou's only living relative.

"I am sure that she does, wherever she is." The palace is gone now. The Tourin that she has known her entire life is gone. The palace has been replaced with large cylinders, and Raizen's throne room has become enclosed. There's no balcony for her to walk out onto; she can't see the sky anymore. The gardens and greenery are gone too, replaced by a large sprawling desert.

"Who defeated her? Anyone that I know?" Raizen's claws ran through her hair, and she sighed as he started re-braiding it.

"Yes, actually. The goat, Yomi, is the new king. However, he is not the demon that you knew."

Reigan held still as Raizen told her about Yomi's rise to power. The young and cocky demon that she met all those years ago is gone now, and this new Yomi sounds like a completely different person. She knows that being blinded is what caused him to change, and a part of her grieved for him. She didn't really know him, but she knows that their paths will cross again. He has taken over Gandara with ease; he has complete control over his territory, but it looks like he's content with just his territory for now. It's a good thing too. Raizen might be on a special diet, but Mukuro would eat him alive.

"What else do you think will change before the end?" It doesn't matter that she can't see the sky. She knows that her time here is nearly up. Stalling at the doorway won't change that.

"Everything."

 **1463**

"Hokushin! Where is he?!" Since he stopped eating, Raizen has rarely left the palace. From what she can tell, he's rarely left the throne room these past few decades. The tall demon jumped at the sound of her yell, and he rubbed a nervous hand over his bald head as he looked down at her.

"Well, you see, my lady, he's, uh…what I mean to say is, he's, hmm. My lady, I—"

"Don't you my-lady me, Hokushin! Where is my idiotic brother?!" Her fingers itched to grab the front of Hokushin's robes and shake him until he gave up everything, but that would be counterproductive. As upset as she is, she's likely to knock him out and that won't help her at all.

"The Three Kings have reached a disagreement, my la—Reigan." It felt like all of the blood was being drained out of her face, and she saw Hokushin stretch a hand towards her as she rocked dangerously on her heels. His hand did grab her shoulder to steady her, even though he was across the room from her, and she took a slow breath as she regained her balance.

"Raizen is fighting against Mukuro and Yomi." She has never doubted her brother's strength, but he hasn't eaten anything in almost five centuries. It's been a very long time since she saw Mukuro or Yomi, so she doesn't know how strong they are now. What if one of them has reached Raizen's level?

"Despite his decision, King Raizen is still the strongest. He will not fall to either of them. The only person who can defeat Raizen is his own stubbornness. As you already know." Reigan's entire body slumped as soon as Shikaku started speaking, and she's sure that Hokushin's grip on her shoulder was the only thing that kept her from falling over.

"Where are they fighting?"

"Two days south from here," Hokushin answered. He slowly pulled his hand back, and Shikaku stepped up to wrap an arm around her waist and support her.

"You may go now, Hokushin. I will keep an eye on the Lady of Tourin." Reigan snorted at that, because no one talks about her anymore. Her energy hasn't been felt since everyone else left, and Hokushin has told her all the rumors about her supposed fate. Most believe that she is dead and that's why Raizen stopped eating.

"Try not to worry, my lady. Your brother will return to us," were Hokushin's parting words. Shikaku pulled her over to the throne, and they curled up together in the large stone chair.

"Four hundred and seventy eight. That's how many years it has been. How many more are left?" Shikaku was warm against her, and it felt so good to have someone hold her up for a little while. She has to stay constantly vigilant in the Human World. The Kekkai Barrier is in place now, which keeps out the more powerful demons. Weaker demons can still crossover though, and she protects the bloodline from humans as well. She does whatever is required of her, while keeping her distance. Her only interactions are with those that she kills and the priestesses.

"Such loneliness," Shikaku whispered while running her fingers along the marks on Reigan's right arm. The vines practically danced under her skin at Shikaku's touch. "You will be rewarded, Rei, but you will suffer first. Have faith, my friend."

"Faith in what?"

"In destiny, of course." Shikaku's laugh was just as loud as Reigan's, and they laughed until tears poured from their eyes. Of course, once the tears started, Reigan couldn't turn them off. The laughter died out, and Shikaku held her as tears continued to fall from her eyes. Sobs wracked her body, and she couldn't even explain why she was so upset.

"Shikaku, I—" A gloved hand cut off her apology, and Shikaku tightened her hold as she started to slowly rock them.

"I know it is not easy for you. You watch over your blood, protect them, but they do not even know you are there. You form connections with the priestesses that look after your temple, and you mourn for them and their families. You have been so strong, my friend, but you do not have to be strong for me. Rest now, Reigan, while you can."

"You're a good friend," she whispered a few minutes later. She was tired and wrung out from the emotional outpour, and she was grateful for Shikaku's presence. The raven just hummed in answer, and Reigan closed her tired eyes. She'll accept the comfort, because she has a feeling that she's nowhere near being through with her task.

 **1922**

It has become a habit over the years to immediately look up at the sky after passing through the portal, and her eyes took in the stretch of the dark blue sky above her. It's so different from the Demon World, but this sky makes her think of _home_. Then again, she thinks the same thing every time that she looks into Raizen's eyes. Raizen…her brother fought against Mukuro and Yomi for a few decades, but he's been back on the throne for the past several centuries. It's been over nine hundred years, and she can see the strain of starvation stamped across his body now. He's growing steadily weaker; what if he doesn't live long enough to meet his son?

"Reigan!" She rolled her shoulders as she looked down, and two pairs of dark brown eyes looked up at her. Their dark blue hair was braided and put up in a bun, and Reigan reached down to lay a hand on top of their heads.

"Have you been out here all day?" Hanako grinned while Yuriko blushed, and Reigan gently smiled down at the identical twins.

"We were meditating," Yuriko said quietly.

"And waiting for you to return," Hanako added. The twins are identical in appearance, but their personalities could not be any more different.

"Impressive," Reigan admitted. The twins are only fourteen, but they are already so strong.

"Does that mean you'll tell us a story?" Hanako asked.

"Please, Reigan?" Yuriko pleaded. She has never been able to resist the priestesses of Aoyama, and now is no exception. With another smile, she dropped to the ground and started telling them a story. It was censored, a little less blood and gore, but still a good story. The twins listened with wide eyes, and Hanako laughed while Yuriko sighed dreamily at the end.

"Now come along, you two, before your parents come looking." The twins latched onto her arms as they started walking back to the temple, and Sora met them at the front door. His bright blue hair stood out in the darkness, and he scooped the two young teenagers up into his arms once they were close enough. The twins squealed as they were lifted into the air, and their father held them up with ease.

"Hello, Reigan. Good trip?" Sora is a very powerful psychic; he knew what she was when they first met, but he trusted his wife's judgment and decided to trust her. Over the years, they've become friends.

"As good as usual. You might want to get those two to bed." The twins were nearly asleep now, which makes sense considering they spent an entire day meditating. They're still young and learning, so they're tired. "Where's your lovely wife?"

"Sango is putting the little one to bed. She's going to be disappointed that she missed story time." Reigan reached up to rub the back of her neck as Sora laughed, and she followed behind him farther into the house. He disappeared farther inside, to the twins' rooms, but she stopped at a different bedroom.

"Oh, Rei! You just missed bedtime," Sango said as she stepped out into the hallway. Dark brown eyes looked over at her, the same eyes that Hanako and Yuriko have, and Reigan lightly bit her lip.

"Sorry, Sango, I was with the twins and—"

"Rei?" She stopped talking at the sound of the childish voice, and Sango raised a brow at her. Reigan knows what the eyebrow is communicating to her. She woke up the little one, so it's up to her to put the kid back to sleep. She nodded to Sango as the woman stepped past her, and she waved as she walked inside of the bedroom.

"Hello, little one. Shouldn't you be asleep?" Wide honey brown eyes looked up at her as she got closer, and she lightly ran her hand over the little girl's bright pink hair. Sora said that she had his mother's hair color, but those honey eyes are all Sora's.

"I was waiting for you. Tell me a story." Despite only being a four year old, the little thing has quite the commanding presence. Her words and tone are so grown up. Reigan shifted through all of her many memories and then she started telling an old Demon World fairytale. Well, as close to a fairytale as Demon World has. She knows that Sango tells the children their family history during story time, so she can tell whatever story she wants. The little girl was asleep before the story ended, and Reigan knows that the small child will make her finish the story over breakfast. She swept some bright hair off the child's forehead and listened to the steady sound of her heartbeat.

"Goodnight, Genkai."

 **1940**

"We can stop this!" Yuriko cried.

"She is better than this!" Hanako yelled. Just looking at the twins made her breath freeze in her lungs, even though they are grown women now and not small children.

"I have made my decision." Genkai stubbornly crossed her arms as she looked up at her older sisters, and Reigan looked over at Sango. The older woman hasn't been the same since Sora passed away a few years ago, from a disease that overtook him quickly, and Reigan knows that hearing her daughters fight like this isn't easy.

"Mother, do something!"

"I'm sorry, Yuriko, but there's nothing I can do."

"Then you do something, Reigan!"

"I can't, Hanako. It's Genkai's decision."

The twins are thirty-two now, Genkai is twenty-two, but they still look to her and their mother whenever there is trouble. The twins have been content to stay at the temple, and they are taking up the title of Priestess from Sango. Genkai went off on her own at eighteen, and they've barely seen her over the past four years. She returned earlier today with news, and it was far from good. Genkai has made a name for herself in the past few years, and it's a name known to the demons in Human World as well as the more powerful human psychics. Genkai is strong, but it's come back to bite her. She was invited to join the Dark Tournament, which is a truly horrible tournament hosted by humans that have demons fight for their entertainment. Yes, the winning team gets whatever they want, but so many are slaughtered just for sport. There's always a guest team invited to join, but it's not an invitation that can be turned down. If Genkai doesn't fight, they'll hunt her down. She won't explain that to Sango and the twins, and she has a feeling that Genkai already knows.

"What if she dies?!"

"Don't say that, Hanako!" Yuriko started crying in earnest, and Sango was quick to gather her daughter into her arms. Hanako looked between her crying twin and her impassive sister, and the more hot-headed of the three seemed to fold in on herself.

"I can train with you, if you want," Reigan offered. Her energy is cloaked and mostly locked away, but she's seven thousand years old. She knows things.

"That would be appreciated." Just as direct as always. It's good to know that some things never change.

"Let's get started then."

 **April 1941**

"How many have you buried over the years?" Reigan closed her eyes at the sound of the cold voice, but she didn't run like she wanted to.

"More than I can count," she answered honestly.

"There's so many of them. Did you mourn all of them?" A part of her wanted to lash out at the painful questions, but she knows that Genkai isn't asking to be cruel. The young psychic is truly curious, and sorrow is rolling off of her in waves.

"I mourn for all of them, forever. From the first priestess, Mai, until the last one." There are so many names carved into the cave wall, and each name was carefully etched into the inner stone of the mountain by her own hand.

"This will not be the last name that you carve." Genkai's fingers were lightly tracing over the newest names in the stone, and Reigan had to take a slow breath to keep from crying. The actual resting place is in the village, the town, several miles away from them. Sango was cremated, and her ashes were next to her husband's. Hanako and Yuriko were next to them.

"Probably not." It doesn't matter where their ashes are; Sango, Hanako, and Yuriko were priestesses of Aoyama, which means that they earned their place on the cave wall.

"Will my name be the last?" Genkai's voice is soft, still sweetened by youth, but her honey colored eyes are so old. Her eyes have always held more wisdom than they should, but it's gotten worse since the end of the Dark Tournament. It's only been a few months, but Genkai was changed by the tournament.

"I don't know."

"Did they suffer?" After the tournament, Genkai requested time alone. Reigan knew what had happened, so she didn't protest. Sango didn't know the specifics, but she could tell that there was something wrong with her youngest daughter. As for the twins, they kicked up a fuss that Genkai completely ignored.

"No. It was very quick, and I dealt with the demons that did it."

"Could you have saved them?" Genkai traced her fingers over her mother's name as she asked the question, and Reigan crossed her arms.

"My senses are weaker, but my sight is unchanged. If I was meant to save them, I would have been here. I am here to guard my brother's bloodline—"

"—I know your purpose here—"

"—but I care for the priestesses of Aoyama. I would not be able to guard anyone without their help. I'm sorry that I wasn't here to keep them safe."

"I am all that's left now, but I am not your priestess. Do you understand me, demon? I am not another one of your precious priestesses." There was a lump in her throat that was hard to swallow around, but she knew she had to respect Genkai's decision. The young woman has been through so much recently; Reigan respects her strength and her decisions.

"As you wish."

 **March 1952**

"Do you remember what it was like to be human?"

"You never pull your punches, do you, Kai?"

"Don't see the point in it, Rei. So, do you?"

"Technically, I was never human."

The wood of the porch is warm under her back, and the sky is such a beautiful blue above her. Genkai decided to stay in the temple, but she's not a priestess. She's just a retired psychic. Reigan still lives in the temple as well, because she doesn't have anywhere else to go. This temple is her home, and her brother's descendants live in the village nearby. She can't leave them. The first few years were tense, but it has gotten easier lately. It's been nearly eleven years since Genkai's mother and older sisters were killed, and Reigan still mourns for them. So does Genkai.

"You believed you were human. Believed it enough to build a temple and to keep coming back even after learning that you were actually a demon. So, do you remember?" Reigan is stretched out in a sunny patch of the porch, and Genkai is sitting behind her in a shadowed area. Streaks of gray are starting to appear in her bright pink hair and there's lines next to her honey eyes, but Reigan can still hear her as a child and demanding a bedtime story.

"I remember…the way that my body ached after a long day of labor. The feeling of dirt under my nails. The soft sound of Raizen humming as we drifted off to sleep. Yes, I remember what it was like to be human. It's like a dream now, a little fuzzy around the edges."

"Probably because you're horrifically old."

"Fair enough." She has been confined to the Human World for over nine hundred years now, but she's been alive for over seven thousand years. She really is horrifically old, and she's still got a long way to go before she can rest.

"What will you do when I die?" That's something that she's thought about, but she hasn't seen anything. She's not really sure what that means.

"You're gonna live forever, Genkai."

"And be stuck with you forever? I'll pass."

"Such a sweet talker."

The day passed slowly, quietly, and it was almost peaceful. It made Reigan feel uneasy, because if there's one thing she's learned over the years? Peaceful moments are always the precursor to something painful.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** This one was a little shorter than the previous chapters and a little light on details, but I'm trying to get all caught up. I think there will be two more chapters about the past and then it'll be caught up with the anime. Unless I change things up in the middle of writing, which has happened before. If there's any questions about anything, feel free to ask! And thank you to everyone who's added this story to their favorites and/or followed it; it means the world to me!

 **Sam165:** One of my biggest flaws is slow updating, so I'm trying to work on it. That's why I've been putting the "Post Date" on chapters. It's mostly to remind me to update regularly. Thank you for the review!

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** It's a good username, and you're welcome! And thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Haha, I guess it's a good thing that I can still make people cry? I remember tears during the last story too. (Mostly mine. lol.) I'm so glad you like Shikaku! I'm liking her more and more as I keep writing. As for her and Kurama, only time will tell! Would it be a bad thing? Thank you for the review!

 **DaurthNoS:** Me and the story feel the love! Thank you for the review!


	5. The Little History Lesson

**Author's Note:** This chapter is insanely long. It's twice the length of my usual chapters. I thought about splitting it up, but I couldn't decide on a breaking point. Also, I don't want to keep dragging the past out. So there's this chapter, the next chapter (which is shorter than my usual chapters), and then Chapter Seven picks up in the "Present."

Quick question! I haven't made any definite decisions yet, but I'm a little curious. Does Genkai have any popular ships? Is there anyone that you can reasonably imagine Genkai with? Not older Genkai, necessarily. Like if she was able to return to her "prime," but still had all of her memories. Because I'm currently drawing a blank.

 **Post Date:** 25 July 2016

 **Word Count:** 11, 870

* * *

 **Chapter Five  
** **The Little History Lesson**

 **Present: March 1996**

"Your whole family? I'm so sorry, Master Genkai," Botan said quietly. Reigan had enjoyed killing the cowardly demons that dared to kill her priestesses, but she knows there's a part of Genkai that will always blame her for their deaths. (There's a part of Reigan that will always blame herself for their deaths as well.)

"But you're not a priestess." It was hard to tell if Yusuke was asking a question or making a statement, but Genkai answered him anyway.

"No, I am not a priestess. I was a psychic, and now I'm just a retired old woman."

"You spoke to her, you knew her. How did she become entrapped?" Natsume's eyes ran over the length of the statue, and Reigan felt as if her knuckles were being stripped to the bone as she screamed for freedom. None of them could hear her. They could never hear her.

"It was a part of the deal, as told to her by the other seer. At the time of the son's birth, she would be locked away. Sealed. It was to keep her from interfering with the son's destiny. Believe me when I tell you that it was the last thing she wanted."

"It must have been so hard for her. After all those years of watching, she was just locked up. It doesn't seem fair." Botan is definitely her favorite. Genkai is getting lower on her favorites list; the old psychic is probably dragging this out as another form of punishment.

"That's part of it." Once everyone was looking at Genkai, she continued. "Reigan left more than her brother's bloodline unprotected when she was sealed away. She also had to leave her own bloodline behind."

 **April 1952**

"You can feel it, can't you? You're getting close." Reigan looked away from the portal and over at Shikaku, but the raven isn't looking at her. They're standing side-by-side, but Shikaku is facing in the opposite direction. She's looking back at the palace, but Reigan can't look at it. It's nothing like the palace that she once lived in. It's her brother's tomb.

"The next generation is about to be born. A girl," Reigan pointed out. Shikaku said a son would come to Raizen, but she knows that this girl is the one that she has to protect. The girl has older siblings, two older brothers and an older sister, but she's the only one that matters.

"Still, you're getting close. It won't be much longer now." Much longer…it's been nearly a thousand years. Does much longer mean only a few more decades? Or a few more centuries?

"For his sake, I hope so." Raizen is growing steadily weaker, and it hurts to see how much he has changed. He's still powerful, more powerful than even most of the S-Class demons, but she remembers when he was even stronger.

"Reigan?" She paused just in front of the opening of the portal, she was close enough to smell the clear air of the Human World, and tightened her fingers around the gloved hand holding her own.

"Shikaku."

"I am sorry, my friend." She could have asked what Shikaku was sorry for, but what's the point? Shikaku wouldn't be able to tell her.

"So am I." The portal closed after she stepped through it, and her face immediately tipped up to the sky. Dark, full of bright stars, and just as beautiful as always.

"Always looking at the sky. Are you praying?" Genkai was leaning against her statue, and the woman was also looking up at the night sky.

"Something like that. I don't think Koenma listens to me anymore though." She smiled as she said it, because she misses the god. He was good to them, both as humans and then again as demons. What would he say if he knew that she was keeping Raizen's bloodline alive so that another Mazoku demon could be born? Would he finally try to end her?

"Humph. Come along, Rei. Your line is safe for another night." Genkai started walking back towards the temple, and Reigan fell into step behind her. The psychic might not be one of her priestesses, but that doesn't stop her from looking after Raizen's bloodline.

"Misaki is due pretty soon. It's going to be another girl," Reigan said as they walked. The child that she's currently carrying will be Misaki's fourth child, and Reigan knows that this child is the one that will carry on Raizen's demonic genes.

"How do you know which child to protect?" Genkai isn't the first one to ask her that. Several of the priestesses have asked her over the centuries, but she still doesn't have a real answer.

"I'm not sure. I don't know how any of my sight works actually. I just _know_."

"Do you only protect them?" Again, Genkai isn't trying to be cruel. It doesn't stop her from asking the hard questions though.

"If I have to choose between them and another family member, yes. If I can protect the others, I will. All of them are my blood." She's a little amazed at all of it sometimes. She's pretty sure that Raizen doesn't understand just how many descendants he has, but she does.

"But only one in each generation carries the gene that you need." That one wasn't a question.

"I'm not a geneticist, Kai. I don't know how it works. I just know which one to protect." They're almost to the temple now, and she could really go for a relaxing hot shower and maybe a nap. Misaki only has a month to go before the little girl is due, and Reigan always gets a little twitchy around this time. It's so hard to protect something so small and fragile, especially before it's even born.

"Will you know which one is the son?" They're on the temple grounds now, and Genkai glanced over her shoulder to meet Reigan's eyes.

"I don't know. I suppose I will. I certainly hope so, since I'm going to be sealed away at the moment of his birth. It'd be nice to have a heads-up." She said it with a small laugh at the end, but her fingers nervously ran over the large dark blue beads wrapped around her left wrist.

"I'd like a little warning as well." She followed Genkai up the few steps leading into the temple and smiled a little.

"Well, at least we'll both finally get some peace and quiet once it's done." Genkai laughed a little at that, just one quiet chuckle, and Reigan bid the psychic goodnight before moving off to her room.

 **.xXx.**

Reigan was comfortably resting in a tree and listening to Misaki quietly sing to her swollen stomach. The older children were all in bed, Misaki's husband was working late at the nearby hospital, and the whole house was covered in a sense of peace. It was calming. Reigan stayed where she was until the pregnant woman was sleeping deeply, and she closed her eyes as she listened to the steady breathing and regular heartbeats. Misaki had a hard time with her first pregnancy, hard enough that Reigan was pretty much drenched in a cold sweat the entire time, but the next two were much easier. This pregnancy has been easy as well. No complications. No one hunting them down. No problems whatsoever.

"I think I've earned a drink," Reigan muttered to herself. Just a few drinks to calm her nerves, and then she'd return. Misaki doesn't have very long to go now, and Reigan knows that her nerves are going to be on edge after the baby is born.

The walk to a local bar didn't take long, even though this bar is technically located outside of city limits. It's a lively place, and it's easy for her to blend in. As she got closer to the bar, she pulled up the loose blue denim jeans she was wearing and made sure her dark blue turtleneck was covering her arms and throat. She knows her clothes aren't technically appropriate for a young woman, but they're easy to move in and keep her completely concealed. She's sure the markings on her right arm and back would be mistaken for tattoos, and she doesn't need anyone staring at the collar around the base of her throat. With these clothes, she can at least pass for normal. Her pointed ears are covered by her blonde hair, thankfully blue eyes are normal, and she just has to be careful not to flash her fangs at anyone.

"Comin' right up, Rei," the bartender said as she took her usual seat at the end of the bar. Maybe she comes here a little too regularly. She likes this bar though. No one asks any personal questions, and she rarely even gets a second look. She just sits on a stool at the end of the bar, enjoys her drinks, and watches the drunken idiots around her. A few minutes later, an empty glass and a large bottle were sat down next to her. She thanked the bartender and then did a quick look around the bar.

"So, what's the party for?" On the other side of the room, several tables had been pushed together. Men and women of various ages were sitting around the tables and laughing as alcohol flowed quite freely, and Reigan couldn't help smiling every time loud laughter rang out through the room.

"Birthday celebration. They've been laughing like that for the past two hours." Impressive. Most people would have been passed out by now. Reigan slowly drank as she watched the large gathering of people, which is something that she's always enjoyed doing. People watching. Humans have changed so much since the time when she believed that she was human, and it's fascinating. The changing customs, the new technology…all of it.

"EIJI!" The whole bar went silent at the sound of the loud yell, including everyone around the grouped-together tables. Standing just inside the doorway were six demons, all D-Class, and Reigan looked at all of the humans in the bar. The demons might not be very strong, but they're still stronger than average humans.

"Get out of here," Reigan whispered to the bartender. The older man nodded and ducked down as he moved to the back of the bar, and Reigan took another sip of her drink as a man slowly got to his feet. His palms were pressed flat against the table, and she raised a single eyebrow as he stood up. The man was much taller than average, possibly six-six, which meant he was a foot and a half taller than her.

"If you walk out now, I won't kill you," the man stated. He had a deep voice, and he spoke in a lazy drawl. Like he could care less about what was about to happen. Did he know they were demons? They look human in appearance, but appearances don't mean anything.

"You killed my brother!" one of the demons yelled out. A few of the other people in the bar were sneaking out of a back door, but the people sitting with the standing man looked unbothered.

"Your brother was eating young women, so he got what he deserved. Leave now or suffer his fate." The man, Eiji, smiled as he said it. A psychic. He must be, but Reigan can't feel his spirit energy. He must be a very powerful psychic if he can hide himself.

"We should kill them for ruining your birthday celebration, Eiji," one of the humans called out. Are the rest of them psychics as well?

"It has been a while since I fought a demon," one of the older humans added. Eiji, who was still standing, looked at both of them before shrugging.

"I suppose we could fight them," the large human said. He is large, both tall and wide. It's not the kind of muscle that comes from working out; the tall human is built like a warrior, so she's not fooled by his lazy attitude. Reigan stiffened as she heard more footsteps, and she looked around the bar. All of the humans have left, except for the ones gathered together for the birthday celebration. There are still six demons standing in the doorway, and she can sense more demons just outside. There's sixteen humans in here, six demons inside, and another seventeen demons outside surrounding the bar. Sixteen against twenty-three. Decent odds.

"Kill all of the humans! Leave Eiji for me!" the demon from earlier yelled. More demons poured into the bar as the humans got to their feet, and Reigan poured another drink as the fight started in earnest. All she wanted was a drink. Not a bar brawl.

"You should have run, little human." Thick arms were wrapped around her upper body, pinning her left arm to her side, and the words were whispered into her ear. She used her free right arm to pick up her glass, and her eyes closed as the drink burned down her throat and warmed her chest.

"You really are an idiot." The demon spun her around, and she looked up into his bright blue eyes. Too bright. Some kind of water demon. Fingers wrapped around her throat and pulled her off the stool, and he just keeps proving his idiocy. Now both of her hands are free.

"And just how am I the idiot?" Demons shouldn't talk, or taunt. If he was smart, he would have killed her outright instead of trying to scare her.

"I'm not human." His eyes widened just the smallest bit as her hands pushed past the cloth of his shirt and tore through his flesh, and blood stained his lips as she ripped out his lungs. Human physiology as well. Interesting. The hand around her throat dropped her, and Reigan tossed the lungs onto his open chest cavity once he was lying on the ground. She shook some of the blood off her hands as she turned back around, and she slowly poured herself another drink.

"Killing your own?" Reigan froze with the glass pressed against her lips, and she craned her neck back to look up into eyes the same color as the whisky she was waiting to drink. She tipped the amber liquid into her mouth and quickly swallowed, and there was a bloody smear left on the glass when she sat it back on the bar.

"He was no kin of mine." Not all demons should be lumped into the same category. Eiji grinned as he leaned over to prop his elbows on the bar, and one long leg extended to kick away a charging demon. Eiji never looked away from her eyes as he kicked the demon across the room, and she raised a brow at the cocky human.

"So you are a demon." His hair was a dark orange color, shaggy around his face, and a few locks curled across his brow.

"You already knew that." To the majority of humans, she's completely human. Most psychics even believe that she's human, because her energy is so well hidden and cloaked. Only the strongest psychics can tell what she really is, and he knows.

"Can't tell how strong though. You feel weak, but I think we both know better." His eyes looked past her and down at the floor, and Reigan drummed her bloody fingers against the bar top. Behind Eiji, the other humans cheered as they returned to their seats and started drinking again. Various demons were scattered throughout the bar, all dead.

"I'm not a threat." She's strong, but she's not dangerous. She's not here to hurt or kill anyone, unless they attack her family.

"A peaceful demon. That's something I don't really get to see." The age of demon slayers has long since passed, but there are still some human psychics that hunt demons. Some do it for the right reason, to keep people safe, but there are those that do it for sport. She doesn't know this man, but she's pretty sure he's not the latter.

"Unfortunately, most demons that crossover are not peaceful. I only kill if I'm attacked." She poured herself another drink, ignored the tacky feeling of the dried blood on her hands, and swallowed it down. To her surprise, Eiji reached over the bar and grabbed a glass for himself. After a pointed look from the man, she poured him a drink. He smiled as he took a seat on the stool next to her, and they shared a drink in silence.

"Then why are you in the Human World? It's not to feed. Only the strongest of demons crossover for that, and they can't crossover anymore. You don't kill…are you a trafficker? Weak enough to crossover and gather humans to take back to Demon World, so that the stronger demons can continue to feed. Is that what you are?" So that's how the S-Class are getting their food source. She has wondered over the years how they continued to feed when the Kekkai Barrier stopped them from crossing over; she can only crossover because of her weakened power. Well, seemingly weaker power.

"No. Would you really like to know my purpose here?" The stool creaked as the man shifted forward, closer to her, but she didn't move back. She's not afraid of this man.

"I love stories."

"On one condition." After a moment, he slowly nodded. "You tell me who all those people are and what your purpose is."

"All of us are fully human psychics, from all over the world. They are here to celebrate my birthday. Most of them used to protect humans from demons, but they're retired now. Some still fight. We only kill demons who have killed humans. We don't hunt them." So they really are like the demon slayers of old, protecting those that are not as strong.

"You are an honorable man." It's not a question, because she just knows that he is. He takes no pleasure in killing; he likes fighting, enjoys the rush and the adrenaline, but that's all.

"I try to be. Now, it's my birthday and I want a story." He poured them each a drink, and Reigan knocked back the strong alcohol before starting her story. To her surprise, she told him _everything_. By the time she was finished, they had consumed three bottles of alcohol and left the bar behind. All of his friends, the psychics from all over the world, had thanked him for the fun night and went their separate ways. Once they left, he looked back at her and asked her to continue. So she did. She kept telling her story, from the very beginning to her inevitable end.

"That's them. My brother's descendants." They're sitting in the same tree that she was in last night, but the sun is already sitting high in the sky. Misaki is sitting at the kitchen table with her three other children and her husband; they're smiling as they eat breakfast and prepare for another day.

"You love them." Eiji has asked few questions over the last several hours, and his eyes have rarely left hers since she started talking.

"Of course I love them. They're my brother's blood, my blood." She has watched many of Raizen's descendants die, but she has also seen them live. Guarded their lives and done as much as she could to keep them safe.

"You've sacrificed yourself for them."

"What's one thousand years compared to seven? When I first heard my duty, I thought of it as just that. A job that I was being forced to do, but I was wrong. It an honor to guard them. To love them." None of them have ever heard her name; they don't know who she is, and they never will. She accepts that, because it keeps them safe.

"You don't look seven thousand." Her laugh was quiet but still startled the birds in the tree around them, and Eiji laughed along with her.

"I feel it, some days. Even if you live a long and full life, you'll never understand just how tired I get sometimes." Eiji leaned his back against the trunk of the tree, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves left his face both highlighted and shadowed.

"Oh, I'm sure I won't live long to get too tired. People like me rarely do." Eiji is only twenty-three, but he has already seen and done so much in his young life. She hopes that he's wrong and that he lives for many years to come.

"Genkai is just like you, and she's ten years older than you are. If she can live to old age, so can you." Thirty years isn't old, but she knows that Genkai won't die anytime soon. Not just because she's determined to keep the woman alive, but it's another one of those things that she just knows.

"I'd like to meet this Genkai. I've heard stories, but no one has heard from her in a very long time. Did she really win the Dark Tournament?" Reigan looked away from the kitchen window, where she could see Misaki lightly rubbing her stomach, and over at the man sitting next to her.

"Her team won, yes. If you want to live, you won't ask her about it." Eiji nodded, so he must know what the tournament is like. How horrible it can be.

"But I can meet her?" Reigan smiled at his hopeful question and looked down at Misaki again.

"She'd never admit it, but she does get lonely. Maybe bringing someone new home for dinner will cheer her up."

 **May 1954**

"You know that he's in love with you, don't you?" Eiji was meditating farther out in the temple grounds, so Reigan could only see an outline of his large form. She's sitting on the porch railing, where the sun can reach her, and Genkai is drinking tea on the porch steps.

"Never gonna happen, for several reasons." Yesterday was Atsuko's second birthday; Reigan and Eiji had hidden themselves high up in a tree to watch her birthday party. Misaki was pregnant again, a boy this time, but Reigan knows that Atsuko is the one that she has to protect. She's the one carrying Raizen's power now.

"So you admit that you love him too. It's about damn time," Genkai huffed. Two years…She did bring Eiji to the temple after he listened to her story, and Genkai allowed him to stay. Reigan's pretty sure she respected the younger psychic, and Eiji was easygoing enough that he didn't get on Genkai's nerves. Sometimes he leaves to track down a demon, but he's spent most of the past two years with them. Reigan enjoys having him around, and she can admit that she cares for him. Loves him. She has been in a few relationships over the years, and she's been in love before. She knows the feeling. However, she hasn't been in a relationship since the first time she dreamed of crimson eyes. It doesn't seem fair, to her or to anyone that she would attempt a relationship with.

"It doesn't matter. It would never work."

"Because of your sacred duty?" There was a little bit of sarcasm hidden under the honest question, and Reigan crossed her arms.

"Partially. There's also the fact that he's human. In a few decades, he'll be dead. I've buried lovers before, and it's not a fun experience." Some of the demons that she loved died, and there were some where it just didn't work out. All of them are dead now.

"So you'll deny the both of you some happiness, because he has a human lifespan?" A human lifespan is rarely a century long; Eiji is already halfway through his twenties. Even if he did live to be one hundred, he'd be dead in seventy-five years. To her, that's practically nothing. She'll be the one that will have to watch him age and slowly die. She's already watching her brother die; she's not sure she has it in her to watch another loved one wither away.

"I also know he is not the one for me. I have seen the one that I'm meant to be with, and it's not him." It's been several years since she last dreamed about him, but she'll never forget his eyes.

"Then you should send him away. Give him a chance to find someone that will be with him." Genkai gathered up her cup and left the porch, and Reigan looked across the grounds. Eiji was sitting perfectly still, and Reigan felt something in her chest pull tight. Genkai is right, of course. Eiji is a good man, and he deserves to be with someone that can truly love him. He'll never find that here.

The day passed by much too quickly for her taste, and Eiji got to his feet as the sun dipped below the tree line. He smiled when he caught sight of her, and this really has gone on for far too long. She's kept him away from his life for two years, and it's time for him to get back to it. She forced a smile onto her face as he got closer, and he didn't walk up the steps like she expected. Instead he moved over to where she was sitting, still facing the grounds, and she hated that he was still a little taller than her even though she was sitting on the porch railing and he was standing on the ground. His eyes looked even brighter than usual, a beautiful amber color, and she tightened her grip on the railing to keep from reaching for him.

"I think it's time that you left." That came out wrong. She meant to lead up to that, but she's never been one for holding back. His head tilted as he looked at her, and a dark orange curl fell over his brow.

"You're going to send me away?" She nodded, and she held herself perfectly still as he reached forward to grab the railing right next to where her own hands were gripping the wood. "Why?"

"You know why." His thumb tapped against her right pinky finger as he slowly shook his head, but he wasn't disagreeing with her. Because he does know the reason.

"You want me to leave because I love you, and that scares you. Because you love me too." He looked right into her eyes as he said it, and the bottom of his chest pushed against her knees as he leaned closer.

"It isn't fair, to either of us." She's gone over the reasons in her head all day, and they all make perfect sense. Nothing good can come out of them being together.

"Your first priority is Raizen's bloodline. They are more important than anyone else in your life. You're a demon, I'm human, and you're going to outlive me by centuries. Maybe even another several thousand years. You've already seen the _demon_ that's going to be your true mate. Am I missing something?" He listed off the top three reasons, the biggest reasons, in a perfectly calm voice.

"You deserve someone better than me. You deserve someone that will love you completely and will grow old with you. I love you, but not with all of my being. I can't." One large hand lightly cupped the side of her face, and she fought the urge to close her eyes. She doesn't want to look away from him.

"Silly little demon, you think I don't already know all of that? I knew all of that before I ever fell in love with you, and I still stayed. I love you anyway, Reigan, and I'll take whatever part of you I can get. I deserve to be happy, and you are what makes me happy." His thumbs caught her tears before they could fall, because he was now gently holding her face in both hands, and her legs spread a little more as he stepped closer to her. Her thighs pressed against his ribcage, and she let go of the railing so that she could touch him. Her hands smoothed across his chest and over his shoulders, and he smiled as she reached up to lightly grip his hair.

"This isn't going to end well." It was whispered against his lips, and she kept her eyes wide open. All she can see is the amber of his eyes.

"Then we should enjoy ourselves before the end reaches us." Her laugh was covered by his kiss, and she let herself fall forward. Eiji easily caught her, strong hands gripped her thighs just above her knees, and she tightened her arms around his shoulders. He smiled as he nuzzled their noses together, and she ducked down to kiss him again.

"Don't make me regret this," she said after she pulled back.

"I'll do my best."

 **September 1957**

" _Oh, Rei, what have you done?" Shikaku's voice was so quiet in the darkness, and Reigan did her best to make her eyes focus. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see her friend._

" _What's happened?" Everything has been very peaceful lately. Atsuko is five years old now, and the child has quite the stubborn spirit. Reminds her of Kokou a little sometimes. Genkai is still her usual stoic and brutally honest self, and Eiji…Eiji is the happiest part of her life. They have only been together for three years, but she loves the human more than she's loved any of her past lovers. Sometimes she worries that it's because she knows she only has a set amount of time with him, and that makes loving him all the more precious._

" _I'm sorry, my friend. If I could save you from your suffering, I would. Stay strong, Reigan."_

"—gan? Reigan? If you don't wake up, I'm going to get Genkai." Eiji's deep voice was even rougher than usual from sleep, and she struggled to open her eyes. His dark orange hair was wild around his head, half of it sprung up in curls and the other half was pushed down flat.

"Genkai just throws things at me, which would probably knock me unconscious. Not the best way to wake someone up." He was already smiling; he'd started smiling when she opened her eyes, and she loves seeing him so relaxed.

"You looked troubled. Bad dream?" One hand reached up to lightly brush across her brows, and she craned her head up to lightly nip at his fingertips.

"Not bad, just…different. Nothing to worry about." That might not be true, but she doesn't know what Shikaku was trying to warn her about. She does have a strong urge to go check on Atsuko though. "Ready for a new day?"

"Mmm, in a few minutes." She'd sat up while thinking about her dream, and she squealed a little as Eiji pulled her back down. Her squeal turned into a laugh as his much larger body covered her own, and she laid her palms flat against his strong chest. One of her favorite things to do is count his steady heartbeats; it's so much different than the rarely beating heart of a demon.

"Did you have something else planned?" One of his hands tangled in her loose hair, and the other hand traced a line on the outside of her thigh from her knee and up to her hip. They sleep in the nude, mostly because it's still hot and humid even at night, but also because neither one of them sees the point in wearing clothes to bed.

"Just a little something." It was whispered into the skin of her neck, and Reigan carefully stretched under his body weight. She can wait a few minutes before facing the day.

 **November 1957**

"I thought you said demons don't get sick?" Eiji asked it as he held her hair back, and Reigan thought about answering him but never got the chance. Her breakfast came back up, and she held onto the porch railing as her body cleansed itself.

"In all of my thirty-nine years, I've never seen her get sick. Not even the sniffles." Genkai's voice was far too calm while Reigan vomited up everything currently in her body, and she felt Eiji's large hand lightly rubbing circles across her back.

"Demons can get sick, but it usually takes something extreme. Did you poison me?" she asked Genkai. The older psychic raised a brow at her but didn't say anything, and Reigan rolled her eyes. It was worth a shot. She still felt queasy, her skin felt a little clammy as well, but she felt a little bit better. Eiji easily picked her up in his arms before he sat down on the steps next to Genkai, and honey eyes slowly looked her over.

"The answer is obvious. I can feel it. Can't you?" Reigan's head cocked to the side, and her eyes widened as Genkai reached out to lay a small hand against her stomach. She's only wearing a thin white shirt, because she has no reason to hide herself here, so she could feel the heat of Genkai's hand against her flat stomach.

"Not possible. I've always been careful," Reigan said and pointed a finger at the woman. Seven thousand years, a few serious relationships, and several lovers. She's always been careful.

"Are you saying…are we going to be parents?" Eiji asked. He looked at her, over at Genkai, and finally back at her. Reigan placed her own hand against her stomach and looked past her own energy, and her eyes filled with tears when she finally felt something different. The energy was weak and hidden, but it's not hers. Not completely. Her fingers shook as she grabbed Eiji's hand and pressed it alongside hers, and she knew the moment that he felt the new energy as well. Both of his hands covered hers as they rested on her stomach, and he pressed a kiss against the top of her head.

"I'm not supposed to have my own line. How can I watch after Raizen's bloodline if I have my own?" Shikaku warned her that she would suffer, but she never once imagined this. Watching Raizen slowly die, that was suffering. Watching her brother's bloodline die generation after generation, that was suffering. Watching her priestesses die after they became her family, that was suffering.

"I'll help you. I'll watch after Atsuko, and I'll watch after the little one. Please, Rei, don't…don't see this as something bad. This is good news." Eiji spoke quietly and quickly, and Reigan leaned forward to rest her head against his chest. She's pregnant. She's going to have a child of her own. Will she have a boy or a girl? A demon or human? With a start, she realized that it didn't matter. She's going to love this child, her child, no matter what.

"This is the best news," she whispered. Eiji's arms tightened around her, and she rubbed her cheek against his heartbeat. There will come a time when she will be forced to leave her child, when she will be locked away, but her child will not be alone. Her child will be loved and cared for. She'll make sure of it.

 **April 3, 1958**

The first thing she saw when she stepped through the portal was the palace of Tourin; the large cylinders are the same color as the sand that stretches across Raizen's territory, and they look taller than when they first appeared. The sky above her was crimson instead of light blue, and the first sun was high in the sky. Lightning crackled as it lit up the land, and she smiled. The sky of the Demon World will never change; it's just as chaotic and as beautiful as the first time she looked up at it.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Eiji was looking all around them, at the desert and at the different sky, and Reigan smiled up at him.

"We've known each other for almost six years, been together for nearly four years, and we're having a child in a few months. My brother already knows who you are, and it's past time for you two to meet. Since you're the father of his niece or nephew, you should meet him. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

"Not if I keep you safe first." It's something that he's said to her many times over the past few years, and she smiled at the familiarity of it. She reached over to lace their fingers together, and they started making their way towards the palace. Hokushin met them at the entrance, and his eyes widened as he noticed the human in his territory and her current state.

"Welcome back, my lady. Lord Raizen is expecting you." She reached up to grab Hokushin's shoulder as she passed, and the earth elemental lightly squeezed her hand. Walking up all the stairs to the throne room was a bit of a chore, and she let Eiji carry her up the last few dozen. They both took a moment to catch their breath at the top, and Reigan used her free hand to open the doors into the throne rom.

"You brought a guest?" Raizen asked. She pulled Eiji farther into the room and watched the two males size each other up.

"I thought you said your brother was in a weakened state?" Eiji finally asked. Raizen grinned at him, large enough to show his fangs, and Reigan smiled up at Eiji.

"He is. He used to be much stronger."

"Still strong enough to rip people apart," Raizen defended. That caused Eiji to laugh, because he knows that Raizen won't harm any humans. Her brother looked away from the laughing human and turned to grin at her, but his smile slowly faded as he really looked at her for the first time. The light gray dress she's wearing is baggy, but it doesn't hide her rounded stomach. She's seven months along now, and it shows.

"You're going to be an uncle," she said with a small smile. Raizen reached a hand towards her, and she squeezed Eiji's hand before letting him go and stepping forward. A clawed hand gently touched against her stomach, and the child kicked against the light pressure.

"Strong little thing," Raizen muttered. He kept his hand pressed against her stomach as he looked up at her, and she can't read the look in his dark violet eyes. "You're going to be a mother."

"Yes, I am." She easily settled on Raizen's lap and sighed as her brother's arms moved around her, and Eiji sat down on the floor in front of her.

"I'm guessing your human is the father?" She growled quietly at him, because her human has a name.

"I am." Eiji's grin was wide, and there was so much love and pride in his eyes. The look was for her and for their child, and she reached out to grab his hand again.

"We really are too much alike," Raizen finally said. He's not wrong. They both fell in love with humans. The only difference is that she's not going to die; she's going to stay with Eiji, love him, and love their child.

"Definitely seeing the resemblance." Eiji isn't afraid of Raizen, even though his power can be felt in every corner of Tourin. Possibly every corner of the Demon World.

They spent the entire day with Raizen, and Reigan was a little surprised at how easily her brother got along with her lover. They talked and joked as if they were old friends, and it comforted Reigan to see them act so carefree with one another. She loves both of them, and she'd hate to see them fight. Raizen hasn't always gotten along with the demons that she chose to be with, so it's a great relief to know that he likes the father of her child. Makes things easier. Leaving him was difficult, especially since he made sure to talk directly to her stomach to say goodbye to her child. She promised to see him again in a year and assured him for the twentieth time that Eiji was keeping a close eye on his bloodline. She'd take back over after her child was born.

"Took you long enough, Shikaku." They're standing in front of the portal, but Reigan was waiting for the raven demon to appear. She knew it was only a matter of time. Eiji's eyes widened as he looked down at Shikaku, and her friend smiled up at her lover.

"It is an honor to finally meet you, Eiji." Shikaku extended a gloved hand, and Eiji slowly shook it.

"The honor is all mine, Shikaku. It's not every day that you get to meet a legend." Shikaku raised a brow as she looked over at Reigan, and Reigan just shrugged at the curious look.

"I only told him the truth," she said in complete honesty. Eiji loved hearing her stories from the Demon World, and it was nice to have someone to share her many memories with.

"I know what you want, Reigan. Are you sure it's wise?" Reigan looked up at Eiji, and he nodded down at her.

"I still agree with you, little demon. Our child will be safer this way," Eiji said quietly.

"We've talked it over, at length, and we're both in agreement. You know how to do it?" Shikaku looked between them, and she must have gotten the answer she wanted because she reached inside of her vest. Reigan took the offered paper and briefly looked down at the carefully written out instructions.

"That is how you place the seal. It will only be removed by death or by the wearer's will." Despite her ability, she can't tell if her child will be human or demon. If the child has any demonic energy, it will need to be sealed away. She doesn't like the thought of sealing away her child's powers, especially since her own demonic energy was sealed away, but it's necessary. The child needs to be kept safe, which won't happen if the child has demon energy.

"Thank you, Shikaku." The raven bowed her head, and Reigan smiled as a gloved hand pressed against her stomach.

"You're going to have such a beautiful daughter." Reigan opened her mouth to ask if Shikaku was sure, but her friend was already gone. She looked up at Eiji instead, who was already smiling and lightly rubbing her stomach.

"A daughter as beautiful as her mother." A daughter…she's going to have a little girl.

 **April 3, 1959**

"She has his eyes," were Raizen's first words. Her daughter was in Raizen's arms, and Raizen was being so careful with her.

"Mmm, that she does. Her light brown hair comes from his mother." Giving birth had been painful, as expected, but all of the pain was worth it at the end. She'd given birth at a hospital, like Eiji requested, and Genkai even came with her. The older psychic had gently combed her fingers through Reigan's sweaty hair, and Reigan was sure that she was going to break Eiji's hand before it was over. Eiji never once complained though.

"Human?" She placed her hand over her daughter's feet, which were hidden by the thick blanket she was wrapped in.

"Half. I could feel her demon energy only minutes after she was born. I followed the instructions that Shikaku gave me the last time I was here and sealed her demon energy, so she only feels human." Raizen grunted, because she's assuming that Shikaku told him what she asked for. As far as she knows, the raven doesn't keep anything from her brother. Except for the things that he's not meant to know yet, but that goes without saying.

"You'll tell her?" Raizen looked up at her, and she nodded. Her daughter will know exactly who she is, and she'll bring her to the Demon World with her every year. Amber eyes looked up at them, and Reigan placed a hand on top of her daughter's head.

"I won't keep anything from her," Reigan promised.

"And what is my niece's name?" Raizen growled and bared his fangs, and her daughter clapped as she reached for some of Raizen's long hair. She's already so strong.

"Shizuru."

 **January 1973**

Reigan woke up covered in a cold sweat, and blood pounded against her temples as she fought to slow her breathing. Thankfully, Eiji didn't stir. He's usually a light sleeper, but he just returned from taking care of a small demon clan. He'll probably sleep for the next few hours. She carefully scooted to the edge of the bed and then stood up, and she looked down at her sleeping lover for a moment. He's sprawled on his back, with his mouth open just the smallest bit, and he looks so peaceful in sleep. His hair is fanned out across the pillow, and he reached out to the empty space where she should be. Even in sleep, he reaches for her.

The temple was quiet as she walked through it, and she didn't take a full breath until she was standing outside. The sky was still dark, but the sun will rise soon. The sun…The cool air caused her to shiver, and she wrapped her arms around herself. The cold made her think of her dream, and she reached up to push her fists against her eyes. It was the only thing she could think of to stop herself from crying. It's been over two thousand years since she dreamed about sons, but she hasn't forgotten a single detail. She didn't know though, didn't understand, who they were about. She knows that the first part of her dream was about Ryu, Raizen's first son. His true biological son. She hasn't seen anything else since then…until now.

" _It is a curse!" A finger was pointing right at the wrapped bundle, and the woman holding the small bundle clutched it even tighter to her chest._

" _He is my son! He has done nothing wrong!" The woman, who had to be the boy's mother, clung to him with white knuckles._

" _His very existence is wrong! He will be our ruination! I am sorry, but we cannot allow it to live."_

" _No! No!"_

A son born to an ice maiden is considered a curse, something to be ashamed of. The woman, Hina, had given birth to twins. A daughter and a son. Since ice maidens reproduce asexually every one hundred years and only give birth to females, the son proved that Hina had been with a male. The elders decided that the son was dangerous and sentenced him to death. Hina screamed as her son was dropped off the floating island where the ice maidens lived, and Reigan cried silently at the sound of the woman's screams. It's _him_. The demon that she will one day call her own is going to be thrown off an island in the sky, and there's nothing that she can do. His destiny is his own, and her destiny belongs to her brother for the time being.

"Mother?" The sleepy voice caused her to tense up, and she hurriedly wiped at her wet cheeks as the footsteps came closer. By the time Shizuru stepped out onto the porch and joined her, her face was dry and she was smiling.

"What are you doing up so early?" Thin arms wrapped around her waist, and Reigan's smile was more genuine as she raised her arms to wrap them around her daughter. Shizuru will be fifteen in a few months, but her young daughter is already a couple of inches taller than her and still growing.

"Couldn't sleep. Are you okay?" Shizuru is so sensitive; her demon energy might be sealed, but she's still a very powerful psychic.

"I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep either." It's not a lie. She is fine, because there's nothing that she can do. Her place is here, with her family. It is nice to know the name that goes with those crimson eyes though. _Hiei_.

"Were you thinking about Uncle Raizen? I miss him." Just like she promised, she hasn't kept anything from her daughter. Shizuru knows everything about her, including the things that she's not exactly proud of. Like the fact that she did feed on humans for a little while. Shizuru knows why she's in the Human World and about her own demon energy, and she accepts it. Accepts it and still loves her mother.

"Raizen is always in my thoughts. Just like you are." She lightly pulled on some of Shizuru's straight light brown hair, and her daughter slapped her hand away with a smile.

"I'm hungry. Come back inside and fix me something. Genkai always complains when I wake her up to make me food."

 **February 24, 1975**

"Please, Eiji, just lie still. Genkai!" Her hands pressed against his cold skin as she screamed for the older psychic, and she heard Shizuru's quiet cry right before her daughter fell to her knees next to her.

"It's all my favorite girls." As he spoke, blood speckled across his lips and dripped down his chin. She knew Genkai was standing behind her, and she looked up and over her shoulder. Genkai's honey eyes have started to fade a little with age, but her gaze is just as sharp as it's always been.

"Don't talk, Father. You need to concentrate on healing," Shizuru whispered quickly. She had her palms pressed flat against her father's stomach, and Reigan hates the sight of her daughter's hands covered in blood.

"I'm not going to heal from this, Shizuru." At his words, Shizuru's face crumbled and she turned around to press her cheek against Genkai's stomach. Genkai held the girl closer to her, and Reigan felt like her world was tipping on its side.

"You can't die. Not now. We haven't had enough time together," she said as she cleaned the blood off his face with her sleeve. It's not fair. He's only forty-five, and she's not ready for him to leave her.

"We were never going to have enough time together, my little demon." Her tears fell onto his face as she leaned down to kiss him, because she can feel him fading away. He's going to die, now, and not a few decades from now. They've had a little over twenty years together, but it's not nearly enough.

"I love you, Eiji. You know that I love you, right?" She whispered it so quietly that he was the only one that heard her, and the smile he gave her broke her heart.

"I know. I love you too, Reigan." He never should have went after that demon on his own. The demon had been a few towns over, killing small children, and Eiji was the closest psychic. She had wanted to go with him, but Atsuko was getting married. Eiji told her to watch the wedding and that he could handle one demon, but he's bleeding out in front of her. Atsuko had looked lovely, but the woman didn't even know she was there. She could have missed the ceremony, especially if it meant that she could save his life.

"Father?" Eiji weakly raised his arm, and Shizuru scrambled around him so that she could nestle against his other side. Eiji held their daughter close to him, and Shizuru dropped down so that she was lying next to him. They're lying on the ground in front of the temple, because that was as far as Eiji could make it in his weakened state.

"I'm so happy that I got to see you grow into such a beautiful young woman. My sweet little Shizuru." Eiji's hand left a bloody smear across Shizuru's cheek, but her sixteen year old didn't seem to notice. "Take care of them for me, Genkai."

"I will. Rest now, Eiji."

Reigan and Shizuru were lying on either side of him when Eiji took his last breath, and Shizuru screamed as Genkai pulled her away from him and back into the temple. Reigan kissed him one last time, and she cried as she held him. She's known, since the beginning, that she would have to watch him die. She didn't think it'd be like this, not with their daughter watching. Eiji deserved better, he's always deserved better, and she let out a scream of her own at the injustice of it all.

 **March 30, 1975**

"Morning sickness?" Reigan froze at the sound of the voice; it's a familiar voice, one that she's heard many times, but this voice has never spoken directly to her. She looked away from the crackers in her lap, and a pair of light brown eyes met her own. The woman was smiling gently at her, and she glanced down at the pack of crackers in Reigan's lap.

"Am I that obvious?" Her tone was calm, but Reigan was feeling anything but calm. She'd hated leaving the temple this morning, but she wanted to know for sure before she said anything to Shizuru and Genkai. It's only been a month since Eiji passed, and all of them are still grieving for him.

"Only a little. Do crackers really work?" She's been sick for the past few mornings. If she's right, she's about eight weeks along.

"They do for me. Are you…expecting?" The woman blushed a little as she looked down, and she settled one hand against her stomach.

"I'm not sure, but I hope so. I've been feeling a little nauseas the past few days; my husband and I have been trying, so I thought I'd come see." The woman sitting next to her is Atsuko. She's getting close to her two month wedding anniversary. Can she really be pregnant so soon?

"May I?" Reigan may be a little blind when it comes to her own body's energy, but she's always been able to sense it in Raizen's line. Always. Atsuko nodded and moved her hand away, and Reigan replaced it with her own. She could feel energy, such strong energy, and she suddenly felt very dizzy.

"Are you alright?" Atsuko must have noticed something in her expression, and Reigan fought to control her reaction.

"Sorry, just a little dizzy. I think there's a good chance that you might be a mother," she said and smiled. Atsuko's smile was brighter than sunshine, and Reigan was afraid that if she opened her mouth she might start screaming. She didn't _think_ anything, she _knew_. Atsuko is pregnant, barely even a month, and it's going to be a son. _The son_. Raizen's descendant is going to be born before this year is over, and she's not ready. Eiji just died; she can't leave Shizuru alone. What if she's right about her sickness? She'll never get a chance to watch this child grow.

"Reigan Kuwabara?" the nurse called out. Reigan smiled at Atsuko again and slowly got to her feet.

"Good luck," she whispered and followed after the nurse.

 **April 3, 1975**

"I'm sorry, sister mine. Will you ever forgive me?" Raizen held her as tight as he dared as she cried against his chest, and she was glad that Shizuru was with Hokushin for the time being. She told Raizen everything. Told him about losing Eiji, seeing Atsuko and knowing that the son she carried would be the one, and about her own pregnancy. When she told Shizuru the news, her daughter had hugged her and cried onto her stomach. She swore that she was happy, because it meant that they would have another piece of Eiji with them. Then Reigan told her and Genkai about Atsuko, and Shizuru cried for her. They'll have to start making plans soon. Once Atsuko's son is born, she'll be sealed away.

"There's nothing to forgive. The fault is mine. I've always known what I agreed to, and I know that I shouldn't have this child. It's not fair to anyone, but I can't stand the thought of killing a part of Eiji." Her lover is gone, but she has Shizuru and the child growing inside of her.

"Keeping the child is the right thing to do. You won't see him grow up, but you'll be with him again." She used the bottom of her shirt to clean her face, and Raizen started to slowly braid her hair for her. It was a familiar gesture, a calming one, and she wanted to cry again.

"This is the last time I'll ever see you. Once the son is born, I'll be sealed away. Your son's destiny will unfold as it's meant to, and you'll die. You'll die, and I'll be locked up somewhere. You won't even get to see my child." Her stomach is still mostly flat, and Raizen spread his fingers so that he could touch the entirety of her stomach.

"Make sure you tell my future niece or nephew that I love them. I don't have to see them to know that. We're blood."

When Shizuru rejoined them a few hours later, Reigan was still curled up in Raizen's lap but all evidence of her tears were gone. Shizuru has seen her cry enough over the past few months, and her daughter shouldn't see her like that. She has to be strong now, for Shizuru and for her unborn child. Raizen raised his other arm, and Shizuru smiled as she sat on his other thigh and leaned against him. Her brother may be weaker than he was when he was still eating, but he's not weak. He easily held both of them, and Reigan nearly fell asleep when he started humming quietly. Shizuru actually did fall asleep and carrying her out of the palace wasn't easy. She's five-eight now and still growing, but Reigan was able to hold her up with relative ease.

"I saw what happened. I know it probably doesn't mean much now, but Eiji's soul is at peace." Shikaku met her as soon as she stepped out of the palace, and Reigan smiled over at her friend.

"It means everything to me. Thank you, Shikaku." The raven was quiet as they walked back to the portal, and Reigan shifted Shizuru in her arms so that she could look over at Shikaku easier. She knew that the other demon wanted to say something; she just had to wait her out.

"This is the last portal that I will open. After this, I'm going into seclusion. Raizen doesn't need me anymore. He hasn't needed me for more years than I care to admit. I'll come home when you do." A single pale blue eye looked over at her, and Reigan wished that she could hold Shikaku. Just one last time.

"We'll be reunited before you know it." Shikaku nodded at her, and Reigan continued to look at her as she stepped through the portal. Once she was on the other side, the portal disappeared. Hands gently took Shizuru from her arms, and she smiled her thanks at Genkai. The psychic might be a little shorter than her, but she's strong.

"We have many things to discuss before the baby is born, but it can wait for another day or so. You need to rest, Rei." She has been stressed lately, but she's been doing her best to take care of herself since she discovered she was pregnant.

"Rest sounds like a good idea, Kai."

Shizuru was placed in her room, and Reigan went to her own room. It's the same room that she's always had in this temple, which means it's also the same room that she shared with Eiji. She's packed away most of his things, but she hasn't been able to get rid of them. She's not sure if she ever will be. This is all she has left of him now, so she's going to hold onto it. With a quiet sigh, she carefully laid down on the bed and closed her eyes. Maybe, just for a little bit, she can let herself rest.

 **November 5, 1975**

She was sitting at the kitchen table, across from Genkai, when Shizuru joined them. There was a pensive look on her daughter's face, a look that a seventeen year old girl shouldn't have, and Reigan watched as she sat down next to her. Shizuru has been trying to make a decision about something huge, and she's finally decided. Reigan heard the whispers a couple of months ago and talked to Genkai about what her daughter was planning, and they've already started making preparations. Shizuru has to be the one to tell her though; it's important to her.

"My little sis or bro is going to be human. Even if they have some of your demon energy, you'll seal that away until they're old enough to decide what they want. If we're going to live as humans, we should live as humans," Shizuru started.

"Explain, please." Shizuru tapped her fingers against the top of the table, and Reigan glanced at Genkai before focusing her attention on her daughter.

"I'll raise the baby, away from here. We'll live close by, but the baby will grow up like any other normal human. Away from psychics and temples and demons…Both of us will live like normal humans. I want you to, once you're sealed, I want my memory to be changed. I want to forget you, to forget all of this, until you're released." She knew what was coming, but it still hurt to hear the words. The thought of her own daughter not knowing who she is hurt her, but it's for the best. Shizuru is strong, but everyone has a breaking point. If Shizuru thinks that knowledge will make it harder for her to bear the task ahead of her, Reigan will remove that knowledge.

"I have already started paperwork to name you as the baby's legal guardian. We just have to wait until the baby is born to finish it. As for changing your memory, I'm sure Genkai knows someone that can help. Right, Kai?" The psychic reached over to grab Shizuru's hand, and Reigan grabbed her other hand.

"I still have some contacts. I'll see who I can find." Shizuru's smile was small and grateful, and Reigan opened her mouth to reassure her that she was making the right decision but was cut off by a sharp pain in her midsection. Looks like the baby is coming today.

For the next several hours, her body was covered in sweat as she ground her teeth to keep from screaming. A few screams did escape towards the end, but she did her best to hold them in. Genkai was by her side once again, and Shizuru held her hand as the contractions tore through her. Going through labor was just as painful as she remembered, possibly even more so, but she knew that it would be worth it. She just needed to get through this. The doctor encouraged her to push one final time, and a high-pitched cry filled the air a few moments later. Reigan tried to sit up and get a look at the baby, but the baby was taken away to be checked over and cleaned. Genkai wiped a cool cloth across his face as they waited, and Shizuru shifted impatiently on her feet.

"Congratulations! It's a boy!" The nurse smiled as she placed the small wriggling bundle into Reigan's arms, and her eyes immediately filled with tears as she looked down at the now quiet baby. Her son had the same dark orange hair as his father, and she could already tell that he was going to look just like Eiji when he got older. The eyes that looked up at her were dark blue though. Her eyes. Tears dripped off her chin as she pulled her son closer to her, and she saw Genkai and Shizuru leaning closer to look at him.

"He's beautiful," Shizuru whispered. He was…her beautiful son. It won't be long before Atsuko gives birth and then she'll be locked away. She'll never get to see her son grow up, because she promised her brother that she'd protect his bloodline. She consented to the seal, and there's no going back now.

"He is, isn't he?" Reigan asked and looked over at her daughter.

"Looks like every other newborn baby," Genkai said and held a finger over his face. The boy reached up to grab it, and Genkai smiled.

"He's not just any other newborn baby. He's my son."

 **December 17, 1975**

It's only been a little over a month since her son was born, and it's time for her to say goodbye. Everything has been prepared, but she's still not ready. She's not sure she'll ever be ready. She held her son closer to her body as she looked up at her statue, because she knows now that this is where she'll be sealed away. How many years has she looked at her statue and hated it just a little bit for reminding her of who she was? Now she's going to be locked inside of it. Her brother is going to die before she's released. Her son is going to grow up while she's gone, and her daughter won't even remember her name while she's sealed.

"I don't think I can do this," she whispered. She made a promise, she consented, but she never imagined that she would end up like this.

"You don't have a choice," Genkai reminded her.

"It's okay, Mother. We'll both be okay, and we'll see you again," Shizuru said as she pulled her close. Her little girl is five-eleven now, and she's pretty sure that she's done growing now. Her little Shizuru is all grown up, but her little boy won't remember anything about her. Neither will Shizuru. Genkai knew a psychic that specialized in memory changes, and the old man was able to alter Shizuru's memories in conjunction with her seal. Once she's sealed away, Shizuru will forget everything. The memories that the psychic created will overtake her true memories, and she won't remember anything until Reigan is freed.

"I wish there was another way. I don't want to leave you." She looked at Shizuru as she said it, because it's not fair. She's glad that her children will get to live a normal human life, but she wants to be with them.

"I know, but it's okay. When the time comes, we'll both know who you are and what you did for us." Shizuru placed a hand over her brother's covered feet, because her son has a seal just like his older sister's. It'd been easy for her to feel his demon energy, even after only being a few hours old, so she had created another seal. It was on his left ankle, the same place that Shizuru's was, and he feels wholly human. He'll grow up believing that he's completely human.

"Don't you worry, Kazuma. Your big sister is going to take good care of you, and I'll be with you again as soon as I can." She knows what Shizuru's altered memories are. She'll remember a father and a mother, two completely normal humans, and she'll remember them dying in a car accident. Shizuru and Kazuma were spared because they were at home. Since Shizuru graduated from high school a year early, she'll have full custody of Kazuma. They'll have money from insurance and a trust fund, and they'll receive monthly installments to pay for whatever they need. Shizuru won't remember her, or Eiji, or Genkai. She'll remember a whole other life.

"Mother, the beads." The dark blue beads around her left wrist were starting to heat up and glow, which means that it's nearly time. She's going to be sealed away. She's already standing in front of her statue, and she can't breathe.

"It is time. The boy is being born." Her grip on Kazuma tightened as she started to cry, and he cried out as she began screaming. When she agreed to sacrifice, she never imagined this. Her son for his.

"I don't want to lose him. I can't lose him!" Shizuru gently took Kazuma from her arms and lightly shushed him, and Reigan leaned down to pepper kisses across his face. She did the same to Shizuru when she straightened up, and she promised that she would never stop loving them. Any of them. She promised that she'd see them again one day.

"We love you, Mother." The beads around her wrist were hot enough to burn her now, and she smiled through her tears as she felt that heat slowly wrap around her entire body. The last thing she saw before being pulled away was Shizuru holding Kazuma.

 **.xXx.**

Across town, Atsuko looked down at the baby in her arms and let out a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding. Something had caused the building to shake and the power was out, an earthquake maybe, but Atsuko was blind to it all. She was holding her baby in her arms for the first time, and he was looking up at her without making a sound. She has felt him growing inside of her for months, cried the first time she felt him kick, and screamed as he was brought into this world. There's nothing that can distract her from looking at her son's face…her _son_.

 **.xXx.**

Shizuru blinked as the ground went still, and she quickly looked down at her little brother. He wasn't crying, so the earthquake must not have scared him. Good for him, because it scared the shit out of her. She thought she might have passed out for a moment, but she feels fine now. A little cold, maybe, but okay. She lightly bounced Kazuma in her arms and cooed down at him, and the small baby smiled up at her. Without her little bro, she'd be completely lost.

"What brings you up to the mountain?" She looked down at the old woman standing beside her and realized that this must be the one that looks after the temple.

"Our parents died a few weeks ago, and I've felt a little lost without them. I'm my little brother's guardian now, which made me think of the Guardian of Aoyama. The stories say that she was the protector of this area, a true guardian, so I thought I'd come ask for guidance. Or something." It sounded stupid now that she'd said it out loud, but the old woman didn't mock her.

"The villagers that she protected carved this statue in her likeliness. It's said to look exactly like her." The statue is only five feet tall, so she must have been a short protector. Despite that though, the statue still managed to look…tough. The eyes were stone, just like the rest of the statue, but Shizuru felt like the statue was looking at her. It made her feel safe.

"Well, thanks for the little history lesson. Take care." Shizuru waved to the even shorter woman before walking away, and she smiled down at her little brother. It's time for them to go home.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** Alright, take a minute and let all of that sink in. It's a lot, I know, but I had so much fun writing all of it.

First things first…Reigan is Shizuru and Kuwabara's mother. I planned on Reigan having children from the very beginning, before I ever even started writing the first chapter. I was still just making notes for this story when I decided that I wanted Reigan to have children. Specifically, a son that would be born right before Yusuke. The original plan was to have the son be an original character, but I want to limit the number of original characters in this story. (Small, one-off characters don't count.) Then I got to thinking about Kuwabara. His parents are never really mentioned in the anime, and I think his parents were only revealed at the end of the manga. Either way, only Kuwabara and Shizuru got screen time. So I decided to make Reigan their mother, gave them seals that made them human, and voila! As for Eiji, his appearance is very loosely based on Gildarts from Fairy Tail. For anyone that's curious.

I think that's all I really wanted to address. More will be revealed in the next few chapters. If there's any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. The next chapter will be the end of the flashbacks, so that's something to look forward to!

 **DaurthNoS:** I decided to update early! I told myself to wait a week, but I've been having a lot of fun with this story and decided to go ahead and update. Thank you for all of the lovely compliments and for the very vivid review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** The last chapter was a bit of a tease, hmm? I promise, Chapter Six is the last of the flashback chapters. I'm nearly done writing on Chapter Seven, so the story will be all caught up very soon. I loved Ray and Genkai's friendship in LWIYF, so I wanted them to have some kind of connection in this story too. I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for the review!

 **CalicoKitty402:** Thank you for reading and leaving a review!


	6. Just A Big Rock

**Author's Note:** Thank you to everyone who's reading, adding this story to their favorites, and following! It means the world to me. And a special THANK YOU to my reviewers! You're the ones that keep me writing and make me update faster, and I've replied to your reviews down below!

Okay, I'm currently writing ahead. (Shocking, I know.) I could really use some input from my readers, because your opinions really do mean a lot to me. Genkai…If she was in her younger form, but with her memories still intact, who would you ship her with? It can be a human or a demon, male or female, or it can even be a character from a different anime. I won't do a crossover, but I can use their basic features and personality. (Like how I based Eiji off of Gildarts from Fairy Tail.) I'm really drawing a blank on who Genkai would be with, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

One other thing: how do all of you feel about the graphic scenes? Not the fights. The sex scenes. Do you want them to be detailed (with a few limits because of how FF can be), vague (with just a few phrases to give an idea of what's happening), or fade to black (where the action gets started but then moves to the "afterglow" immediately after)?

 **Post Date:** 29 July 2016

 **Word Count:** 3060

* * *

 **Chapter Six  
** **Just A Big Rock**

 **Present: March 1996**

"When she agreed to be sealed away, she didn't know that she'd have children of her own. Leaving them was the hardest thing that she ever had to do." Amen to that! She had hoped when she was sealed away that everything would be black, that she would get to sleep as she waited to be released. She should have known that she wouldn't be so lucky. Instead of resting, she has been forced to _see_ everything without ever being able to close her eyes.

"I can't believe Reigan had children," Kujou muttered.

"I can. She could be very nurturing," Natsume whispered. Reigan had done her best with the twins when they were little, but she had plenty of help. Kokou, Raizen, Enki, Souketsu, Shu, Hokushin…all of them took turns looking after the twins. Shizuru just had her, Eiji, and Genkai. Kazuma only had his sister.

"Yeah, well, if you ask me, that whole seal thing was a dumb idea. I could have really used a guardian." Yusuke sounded sullen and a little angry, and she wondered if he'd feel the same if he knew that his best friend was her son? Genkai didn't say any names, so they don't know that Shizuru and Kazuma are her children. That won't be revealed until she's free.

"It was necessary. If Reigan had been free, she would have done anything to keep you safe. You never would have died, which would have changed your entire destiny. She had to be sealed so that everything could happen the way it was meant to," Genkai quietly explained. It's true. Reigan would have tried to raise him, would have saved him from that car, stopped him from being a Spirit Detective. If she had interfered, he never would have stopped Toguro or Sensui. He wouldn't have met Raizen and saved the Demon World. She's so proud of her nephew and all that he's accomplished, but she would have saved him from it all if she could.

"You brought us out here to tell us this great big story, so, now what?" Yusuke asked after a few beats of silence. He was still thinking on what Genkai said, and he knew that she was right.

"Now, you've done what she saw. It's time for you to set her free, Yusuke."

" _Finally!"_

 **July 1979**

She's been wide awake for over three years; she doesn't get to rest or sleep, like she wanted. Instead she's forced to watch her nephew's destiny unfold. Sometimes she can see Shizuru and Kazuma, or Genkai and Raizen, but she mostly sees her nephew. Yusuke. He's three now, the same age as her son, and his father just died. A brain tumor that no one expected took his life two months ago, and Atsuko hasn't been the same since he passed. She loves her son, loves him dearly, but looking at him makes her think of her husband. Looking at him hurts. It's something that Reigan can sympathize with, since Kazuma looks more like Eiji with every passing day. Still, she wishes that she could hold Yusuke. Rock him and tell him stories. She can't see the future, can't even hear the whispers, but she has a feeling that his life will not be an easy one.

 **1990**

When Yusuke was hit by a car and his spirit left his body, she screamed. Screamed until her throat felt raw and she could taste blood on the back of her tongue, but it didn't change anything. Yusuke was still dead. She watched on as Atsuko cried next to her son's body, and she beat her fists against an invisible stone wall as Kazuma cried out. He wasn't Yusuke's friend, not exactly, but the two had a bond. (Currently, that bond was Yusuke wiping the floor with Kazuma, but Reigan knows better. They might not know it, but they share the same blood.) Reigan mourned with everyone else, even though she could see Yusuke's ghost.

An ordeal. Tests. Reigan knew what was happening without having to see the future, and she railed against it. Prayed that her nephew's destiny was something else. Anything but that. Nothing ever goes her way anymore though, and she was proved right. She wept with joy when Yusuke was brought back to life, and she cried again when Koenma officially made him Spirit Detective. She hid from the god when she was in Human World, so he had no idea who Yusuke truly was. The past really does repeat itself.

His first case brought two big shocks with it, that she was not expecting. She recognized Yoko almost immediately, but that's not the name he uses anymore. His human name is Shuichi, but he told Yusuke to call him Kurama. A fox spirit locked away inside of a human. She heard his story, about being wounded while in his spirit form and seeking refuge in Human World. He witnessed his human's mother love and ability to self-sacrifice for her son's sake, and he loved her for it. The cold fox that she met all those years ago is gone now and replaced by someone else. Still just as cunning as ever though. The last demon that Yusuke faced on his first case was _him_. It seemed almost wrong to get so excited about seeing him when she could still feel Eiji's touch, but it was a relief to see him again. He was cruel, but she knew that it was just the way he was raised. He just needs time. _Hiei_.

After that, Yusuke was sent to the temple. Genkai decided it was finally time to find someone to be her apprentice, her successor, so she held a tournament. Koenma sent Yusuke, both to increase his power and to stop a demon from inheriting Genkai's power. Reigan was surprised when Kazuma entered the tournament as well, since she knew he was there for an unrelated reason. Instead of trying to clear things up, he just went along with it. Made it all the way to the end, and she spit out curses as Rando hurt him. She cheered when the demon was finally dead, and she mourned just a little when Kazuma left the temple. For the next six months, Yusuke trained with Genkai. Having him so close almost felt like torture, and she realized then that Genkai didn't know who Yusuke really was. She had recognized Kazuma's name, but not Yusuke's.

She had hoped that Yusuke would be left alone after he finished training, but it didn't work out like that. He was immediately sent on another mission, and he didn't go alone. Kazuma, Kurama, and Hiei all went with him to face the Saint Beasts. They were strong, but they were defeated. There were times when she wanted to look away, to close her eyes against the pain of watching her loved ones fight for their lives, but she was forced to keep watching. Yusuke looked so much like Raizen when they believed they were human, and Kazuma looked so much like Eiji that it was like seeing the past. She only met Kurama the one time, but she could tell that the fox had changed. Then there was Hiei. He was still cold and so full of anger, but he was loyal. (She might have to kick his ass for being so mean to her little boy though.)

Watching the four of them face the Saint Beasts should have been where it ended, but Yusuke's destiny was far from over. The next case was to save an ice maiden, and Reigan recognized Yukina immediately. Hiei's twin sister. She was in the Human World to look for her brother, but she was captured instead. Kazuma was instantly fascinated by the beautiful young demon, but Reigan didn't get the time to enjoy the happy look on her son's face. She knew who Toguro was, remembered his name from Genkai's past, and she cried out as he fought against Yusuke and Kazuma. Her nephew and son weren't skilled enough to tell that he wasn't truly dead, and it was all downhill from there.

During the Dark Tournament, she screamed and truly fought for her freedom for the first time. The people that she cared about were being forced to fight in that horrid tournament, and her daughter was there to witness it all. When Genkai was killed, Reigan roared. The darkness that she was surrounded by shuddered, but she was still sealed away. Trapped and forced to watch. Again and again, they fought for their lives. Yusuke made some allies along the way, but they were all exposed to the horrors that only the Dark Tournament can bring. By the time Yusuke faced Toguro, Reigan was a wreck. Then there was a moment when she thought her son was dead, and she's never felt so powerless. When it turned out that he was still alive, she felt like she was collapsing in on herself. She didn't feel joy when Toguro died, but she did feel relief. Somehow, they all made it off that island alive. Including Genkai.

It was the longest and shortest year of her life.

 **1991-1996**

For five years, she watched the way all of them changed and grew. There were times when she felt pride, and there were times when she felt a paralyzing kind of fear.

Sensui was…insane. She was able to see what drove him to that state, but it was hard to feel sorry for the man that killed her nephew. For the man that manipulated her son into releasing his newfound power, for his own purposes. When Yusuke died for the second time, her breathing stopped. She could feel Kazuma's pain, his grief, and she didn't take a full breath until Yusuke was on his feet. Koenma knew, then, who he was. Genkai realized it too. The Atavism of the Mazoku. Yusuke was the descendant of Raizen. Speaking of her brother, she felt like throttling him when he took over Yusuke's body. The boy might not have known how to use his demon energy, but Raizen didn't have the right to just takeover like that. She still felt better when Sensui was finally gone.

Yusuke returned to the Demon World, just like Shikaku said he would. To her surprise, Kurama and Hiei returned as well. She got to see pieces of what they were all up to, and she was constantly on edge. Everyone knew that Raizen was dying, soon, and Mukuro and Yomi were preparing for war. Hiei was with Mukuro, and Reigan felt her skin itch every time she saw the two of them together. She knows that she's meant to be with Hiei, but she really hopes that she doesn't have to kill Mukuro first. Seeing Kurama and Yomi together was interesting, especially after she learned that Kurama was the one that had Yomi blinded. Well, Yoko meant to have him killed. Yomi is different from the goat demon she remembers, but so is Kurama. Then there was Raizen and Yusuke…Raizen has waited a thousand years for Yusuke to come to him, and his impatience showed. He was gruff and brash, laughed as he fought against his son, and then there was the end.

She knew the very second that Raizen died, because a part of her died as well. For seven thousand years, they have been a part of each other. She felt empty when he left, and she cried as she prayed for him to find peace. To finally rest. She listened to the story that he told Yusuke right before he died, and it's clear to her that Raizen has never stopped loving his human. He's been waiting all these centuries to be reunited with her, and he's earned that peace. He spent the last half of the past thousand years fighting against Mukuro and Yomi to stop them from preying on humans, so surely Enma can let him rest with his lover.

Mourning Raizen had to take a backseat as Yusuke proposed a tournament to decide who would rule the Demon World, and Reigan didn't know if she wanted to laugh or cry at the idea. So she did both. The tears didn't really start until her old friends came out of seclusion, but these were happy tears at least. It was so good to see them again after all these years, and she marveled at the changes. Like Enki and Kokou being together. She never saw that coming. The Demon World Tournament wasn't like the Dark Tournament, there was less death, but it still wasn't easy to watch. (Watching Hiei and Mukuro was the hardest. She was happy that Mukuro had found peace, but it was _her_ mate that brought about that peace.) Enki won in the end, which was a good thing. Her oldest friend decided to honor Raizen by protecting the Human World, and Reigan knew that her brother would be proud of him. So very proud.

In the Human World, Kazuma went to class and continued on with a normal human life. He and Shizuru still visited Genkai's temple, where Yukina was staying, but the Human World was peaceful. She was thankful for that. Yusuke stayed in the Demon World after the tournament, and she watched as he struggled to understand who he was. The two halves of him were having problems coming together, and it's something that she understood. Her and Raizen easily accepted that they were demons, because they'd always felt that there was something different about them. Still, there were times when Reigan felt conflicted. It was why she had stopped feeding on humans. Kurama returned to the Human World, but Hiei stayed in the Demon World. In Alaric. With Mukuro.

After a year of ruling, Enki decided that ruling alone was hard to do. Demon World has always existed in balance, but there wasn't any balance with just one ruler. So he asked the Three Demon Kings if they would return to their territory and rule under him. Mukuro in Alaric, Yomi in Gandara, and Yusuke in Tourin. They would still be kings, lords of their territory, but Enki would outrank them. The three of them agreed, but Yusuke appointed Hokushin as leader in his absence. He had a better understanding of his demon heritage, and he wanted to return home. So, after being gone for two years, her nephew returned to the Human World.

Life after that was…simple. Beautifully simple. Yusuke divided his time between Genkai's temple and Atsuko's home, and most of his free time was spent with Keiko. Reigan liked the girl, she was tough for a human, but Reigan realized when it wouldn't work out. Around the time of the second Demon World tournament, Yusuke and Keiko started to seriously talk about their future. They both knew that Yusuke was changed, despite the fact that he seemed not to change at all, and they decided together to go their separate ways. Yusuke's reasons were similar to the ones that she had stated to Eiji, but they made a different choice. Yusuke was able to let Keiko go so that she could have a normal human life, and Reigan respected him for it.

Yusuke didn't fight in the second Demon World tournament, none of the rulers did, and Kokou was the last one standing. She'd looked surprised when she was announced as the winner, and Enki took over the mantle of ruling again. The Three Demon Kings remained in place, but Yusuke stayed in the Human World. He missed Keiko, Reigan could tell, but he still had family and friends that he didn't want to leave. He had family until a few months ago, when Atsuko passed away from liver failure. She's watched over Atsuko for years, and she mourned along with Yusuke at her passing. After she was gone, it was his friends that kept him in this world. Friends…Kazuma has become his closest friend, and she's so proud of her little boy. He graduated high school with top marks and got into a very good university, and she cried with Shizuru when he got his acceptance letter. She had hoped that he would find love, but it never worked out with Yukina. They went on a few dates, but they never evolved past friends. The same was true for Shizuru; her little girl never settled down with anyone, but they both seemed happy with their lives.

For the past twenty years, she has watched over all of them. She has no control over who, or what, she sees. Her sense of sight just bounces all over the place. Little flashes of the present. Natsume training Chu while Kujou and Rinku look on and laugh. Jin flying away from Souketsu while Touya tries to get them to focus. Yomi and Kurama talking quietly, almost like the old days but so different. Kokou humming one of Raizen's old songs while Enki rests after meeting with Enma. Mukuro and Hiei comforting each other, thankfully in a familial way. Genkai teaching Yukina about a new herb. Shizuru and Kazuma eating dinner together and laughing as they talk about their day. Yusuke standing with his feet in the ocean and looking up at the sky.

"Alright, grandma, we're all here! Why are we here?" Yusuke asked. It was a shock to hear his voice so close, because he is close. He's standing in front of her statue, next to Genkai, and he's not alone.

"I asked all of you here because I need to tell you about the statue." She could feel all of the different energies surrounding her, and it's been so long since she felt anyone but Genkai. Yusuke, Genkai, Shizuru, Kazuma, Kurama, Hiei, and Botan are all gathered together. Does that mean it's finally time? She told Genkai, over twenty years ago, that the psychic would know when it was time for her to be released. Something that Shikaku told her on one of her trips to the Demon World. A phrase that Yusuke would say, a signal. He must have said it. _I make my own destiny._

"The statue?" Shizuru asked. Her voice is a little deeper, a little more matured, but that's still her daughter. So close. It's almost time.

"It's just a big rock."

" _I'm finally going to be free."_

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I'm evil, I know, and I'm sorry. This chapter is a lot shorter than my usual chapters, but I didn't want to drag out the anime or the time between the ending of the anime and Reigan's release. So this is a quick chapter that goes over everything, and it shows a little of what's happened since the end of the anime. (I keep meaning to read the manga, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. One day…hopefully.)

The good news is: Reigan will be released in the next chapter! Since this chapter was so short and kind of ended on a cliffhanger, I'll update again on Monday. That seems fair, right?

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** I'm so glad you liked the long chapter! Sorry they're not all that long. If they were, it'd take me forever to update. Writing the Reigan-Shizuru-Kuwabara dynamic has been really fun, especially since Yusuke is around too. They're all going to have to learn to adjust. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Whew! I was worried about how people would take Reigan being Shizuru and Kuwabara's mom, so it makes me really happy to see such a positive response! Yeah, I really can't wait to write more Hiei scenes. Let's just say him and Kuwabara aren't exactly going to see eye-to-eye. It's going to make for some interesting scenes. As for Genkai, it's like I said in the Author's Note. It can be anyone; I'm just having a hard time thinking of someone. Thank you for the review!

 **chasesgirl11:** Yusuke and Kuwabara are definitely going to have an adjustment period, but they already fight like cousins anyway. Well, they fight like my cousins. lol. Thank you for the review!

 **shirohara:** Is your heart okay? Don't scare me like that! And thank you for the review!

 **Guest:** I hope you enjoyed the update! Even though it was a little short. The next one is longer, and it should be out Monday. Thank you for reviewing!


	7. She's Your Family Too

**Author's Note:** I promised that I would update Monday, and it's currently after midnight where I am. So, update! I'm still writing ahead as much as I can, so I'm going to try to update once a week. On Mondays. That way updates can be semi-regular. (I say semi because, as my old readers know, sometimes I get behind.) Thank you to everyone who is showing their support! It literally means the world to me, and I hope you enjoy the update!

 **Post Date:** 01 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 6175

* * *

 **Chapter Seven  
** **She's Your Family Too**

 **Present: March 1996**

"It's time for you to set her free, Yusuke." Genkai has never said sweeter words. She's so close to freedom that she can practically taste it, and she's ready to be free. Wants to feel the sun on her skin and hold her children.

"Me? Why me?" She loves her nephew, she truly does, but his questions can wait. She'll tell him whatever he wants to know, as long as she can do it with her own voice.

"She was sealed away to keep from interfering with your destiny. At the moment of your birth, she was sealed inside of the statue. You're the only one that can free her." Yes, he is, so free her already!

"How do we know she hasn't gone crazy? She might pop out of that statue and start killing everything in sight." There was a light thudding noise followed by Yusuke yelling, so she's guessing that Genkai just hit him. Good for her.

" _She_ is your only living relative, and _she_ sacrificed a thousand years of her life to make sure that your ancestors survived. _She_ left her own children alone to protect your destiny. Show some respect." Yusuke grumbled at that but didn't say anything, and Reigan felt a little shock. She had no idea that Genkai thought so highly of her.

"Okay, I get it! So, how do I release her?" Genkai's hand lightly gripped the statue's left arm, just above were the beads of the seal are. In her original statue, her left hand is gripping her spear and her shirt sleeve is pulled down just enough to show her prayer beads. When she was sealed, the second pair of beads appeared on the statue's wrist. They look just like the rest of the statue, the same age and everything, but they don't belong.

"Break the beads, break the seal." The warmth on her arm disappeared, and she could feel Yusuke looking down at her statue. Her nephew is eleven inches taller than her five feet, an inch shorter than Raizen had been, so he was much taller than her true-to-life statue.

"Alright, auntie, time to wake up."

When Yusuke's fingers touched the beads, the stone began to heat up. The beads were revealed, still a dark blue color, and she saw the way that his hand shook as the stone changed to wood. She was pretty sure no one else noticed. With one last deep breath, he pulled on the beads. The string holding them together broke easily, like any other thin string, and Reigan felt her body start humming. She felt like she was going to vibrate right out of her skin, and she screamed as she caught fire. Every second felt like agony and then…she was free. The sun was bright in the light blue sky, and she closed her eyes against the light. She's been in the darkness for so long. Strong hands caught her as she stumbled forward, because she hasn't really had much of a body in the past twenty years, and she looked up into Yusuke's wide brown eyes. It's the same shade Raizen had as a human.

"Sleep well?" Yusuke moved one arm around her waist to keep her steady and held her elbow with the other, and she looked around at all of the people now staring at her. Shizuru's eyes closed after meeting hers, and Kazuma caught her when she fell over. Looks like her true memories are returning. Reigan looked at Genkai last, and she smiled down at the old psychic.

"No rest. I've been awake the whole time; I saw everything. Oh, Kai, I'm so tired." She could feel it now. Every muscle and bone in her body was crying out for rest, and her eyelids felt so heavy. She's been awake and alert for twenty years, and she needs to rest.

"I haven't touched your room. Rest, Rei. We'll be here when you wake up." Eyes were still looking at her, and she looked around at all of the different shades. Natsume and Kujou are looking at her like they've just seen a ghost, Botan is crying quietly behind Genkai, Kurama is looking at her like some kind of science experiment, Shizuru's eyes are still closed, Kazuma is looking after his sister and not at her, Yusuke is looking down at her in worry and confusion, and Hiei…his crimson eyes are even more beautiful than she remembers.

"Night," was all she was able to get out before she completely passed out.

 **.xXx.**

The woman in his arms went limp, and Yusuke nearly panicked. What's he supposed to do with an unconscious demon, that's apparently his aunt? He can't just hold her up like this; her neck's at a weird angle that can't be comfortable. After a moment of indecision, he rolled his eyes and shifted to pick her up. One arm hooked behind her knees while the other went across her back, and he easily lifted her in his arms. Her head rolled against his shoulder, and a little bit of blonde hair tickled against his chin. For being some powerful demon, she really is light. Is that normal?

"Let's get her back to the temple." He looked down at Genkai, but his teacher was looking at the woman in his arms. Reigan. Her name is Reigan.

"What's wrong with Shizuru?" She was unconscious too, and Kuwabara was carefully holding her up the same way that Yusuke was holding his aunt. (It's going to take a while for him to get used to that.)

"She's a sensitive psychic. I'm sure Reigan's release was too much for her senses. She'll be fine." Kuwabara still looked worried, but he didn't question Genkai. Just fell into step behind them while still carrying Shizuru.

"She looks exactly the same," Kujou mumbled from next to him. Natsume was on his other side, and the demon twins were looking down at Reigan.

"We should tell the others," Natsume said and looked at Kujou.

"They'll be happy to hear that she's still alive." Natsume nodded at that, and the twins only took a few seconds to say goodbye before sprinting off to go spread the good news. Yusuke likes Raizen's old friends, so he's glad that they're getting good news. Even though he's still a little confused about everything. He followed Genkai into the temple and into a bedroom that he's never been in before, and he paused just inside the room to look around. It looked normal enough. There was a western-styled bed in one corner, a small table next to the bed, and a large bookshelf taking up one wall.

"Just lay her down. If she really has been awake for twenty years, she'll probably sleep for a while." Yusuke nodded at that and moved over to the bed, and he easily held up Reigan as he pulled the dark blue blanket back. The woman didn't stir as he laid her down, and he carefully covered her up with the blanket.

"I wanna stay with her, just in case she does wake up." She shouldn't wake up alone. It doesn't seem right. Genkai nodded at that and pointed to a door with her thumb.

"There's a futon in there if you get tired." Genkai lightly squeezed his arm, just above his wrist, and walked out of the room. Yusuke looked at the bed for another moment and then moved over to the closet, and he was surprised to see how full it was. Mostly clothes, a few other things, and a futon folded up on the floor on top of an old trunk. He drug it out and unrolled it, and he made sure he was quiet as he sat down.

"So, you're my ancestral aunt that no one bothered to tell me about. I really hope you're the last big secret." The woman didn't hear him or answer him, so it's a good thing he wasn't expecting a response. The whole situation is just weird though.

She looks so normal. Her hair is a dark blonde color, and most of it is tied back in a braid. Some strands are free around her face and fanned out across the pillow; would her hair look like Raizen's if it was a little longer and left free? He only saw her eyes for a few moments before she passed out, but dark blue is a normal enough color. Passing for human must have been easy. The tips of her ears are pointed instead of rounded, but she could hide the points with her hair. Her canines also had a small point to them, smaller than Raizen's, but those were the only demon traits he could see. She's also…short. Nearly a foot shorter than him and lighter than she looks. Not that she looks heavy! She's just filled out more than most of the girls he knows, but she felt like she didn't weigh anything.

"Quiet, brother mine. 'm sleepin'." He jumped a little at the sound of her slurred voice, but she was definitely still asleep. Brother mine? He's heard Natsume say to that to Kujou, so she must be dreaming about Raizen. She said that she was able to see everything while she was sealed away, so does she know that Raizen is dead? A part of him hopes so, because he doesn't want to be the one to tell her that her brother is dead.

After another quiet mumble, she shifted onto her side and kicked the thick blanket off of her. Huh. Maybe she doesn't like being covered up. Yusuke can sympathize. Since becoming a demon, or half-demon, his average body temperature has raised. It makes sleeping under a thick blanket pretty impossible. He can see more of her now, but she still looks like any other woman to him. Regular blue jeans, that are extremely baggy, are sitting low on her hips. She's also wearing a dark blue tank top, so he can see the markings on her right arm. Looks like a tattoo to him, but the demon twins and Genkai both said that the markings were a weapon. One hell of a weapon. The vine cover her entire right arm. The collar is a little weird. He knows it's to hide her energy and everything, but a collar? It's better than those weird organic things that Hokushin and the others used when they came to get him, but not by much. And she's been wearing it for the past thousand years.

When the bedroom door opened again, it was pitch black outside. Yusuke was stretched out on the futon but still awake, and Reigan was still sound asleep. He held still as footsteps slowly entered the room, and he peaked one eye open when he heard the bedsprings creak. He was expecting Genkai, or maybe Kurama, since they were the only ones that actually knew her. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but that's definitely Shizuru sitting on the edge of the bed. Her brown hair is pulled back into a low ponytail and her face is really pale, but it's her. What's Shizuru doing in here? She's looking down at Reigan with a look that Yusuke can't identify, and her fingers shook as she reached down to push some of Reigan's hair off her forehead. Shizuru doesn't shake.

"I missed you so much, Mother." Well, so much for there not being anymore secrets. WHAT?! "I couldn't remember you or Father, so I thought I was just grieving for the parents that I did remember. I still can't believe that I was able to forget everything. I didn't even remember Genkai, and she helped raise me. How am I going to tell Kazuma the truth, Mother? How is he going to forgive me for lying to him his entire life?"

"Genkai said you did it to protect me. So that we could have a normal life." Yusuke froze even more at the sound of Kuwabara's voice, and he was so tense that it was starting to hurt. He really doesn't need to be here for this. This is a family thing, except…Well, if Shizuru and Kuwabara are Reigan's children then that means…they're his cousins. This day has been way too weird.

"We both know how that turned out." Kuwabara laughed quietly, and Yusuke felt like kicking himself. He pulled Kuwabara into his life, so it's his fault that Kuwabara got involved with demons. Something that Shizuru and Reigan both tried to protect him from.

"You never talked about our parents. You just said they died in a car accident, and that's it. Maybe it's because a part of you knew." Okay, Kuwabara is being too reasonable about this. Yusuke's so freaked out that he feels like his head is going to explode, but Kuwabara and Shizuru sound perfectly calm.

"Yeah, maybe." Heavy footsteps came closer, and the bed creaked again as Kuwabara sat down. At least, Yusuke's assuming that's what happened. He's not taking the chance of peaking an eye open again to find out.

"Will you tell me about our parents now?" Now would be the perfect time to fake waking up.

"I can do that. Take notes, Yusuke. She's your family too." When he opened his eyes, Shizuru and Kuwabara were both smiling down at him. A little too smugly.

 **.xXx.**

"You always were a stubborn sleeper. Open your eyes, Reigan!" Against her better judgment, Reigan opened her eyes. She still feels so tired, so completely drained, but she's never been able to deny her brother anything. Her brother…Raizen!

"But, you're…am I?" Clawed hands gently cupped her cheeks, and Reigan's eyes widened as she really looked at her brother. He looks so healthy, as strong as he did in his prime, and Reigan bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying. She never thought she'd see Raizen like this again.

"You're not dead, sister mine. Just in a very deep sleep." Deep sleep. Right. That makes sense. She was awake for two decades, so it'll take some time for her to recover.

"You're still dead though. Why are you here?" Raizen feels solid enough, he feels alive, but she knows that he isn't. "Did you find peace, brother mine?"

"Yes, Rei, I found peace. She waited for me." Relief spread through her, because that's all she ever wanted for her brother. Peace.

"Good. That's good." She's still not sure how she's going to exist without Raizen, but she's willing to try. For her children, for Yusuke, and maybe…for Hiei.

"They're with you. Can you feel them? Your children are strong, Rei." Her eyes closed as she focused, and she could feel her children nearby. Shizuru and Kazuma were sitting next to her, and Yusuke was close by as well.

"So is your son." Yusuke saved the Human World, he saved the Demon World, and he's the youngest person to ever reach S-Class. She's proud of her nephew, and he reminds her so much of Raizen.

"I know it won't be easy, but you will find happiness. Hold onto that, sister mine, and we'll see each other again. Many, many years from now." Raizen pointed a finger in her face as he said it, something that he always did when he wanted her to do as he said, and she laughed as she threw her arms around his neck. He was already starting to fade, which just made her try to hold on tighter. Her life won't be the same without him.

"Goodbye, brother."

 **.xXx.**

"Father died before Mother knew she was pregnant, but I know he would have loved you. He joked all the time about expanding the temple so that they could have more kids, so he would have been so happy to hear that he had a son. Mother…Mother loves us. It nearly killed her when she found out she was pregnant, because she knew that she would have to leave you. I was already a teenager, seventeen when you were born. We'd had our time together, but she knew you would never get that chance."

"Because of me." The words slipped out of Yusuke's mouth, and Kuwabara and Shizuru both turned to look at him. He should have kept his big mouth shut.

"Don't be an idiot, Yusuke," Shizuru sighed.

"It's true though. I'm the reason that she was sealed and couldn't raise Kuwabara." He and Kuwabara might not have been close friends to start with, but he thinks of him as a best friend now. It's his fault that Kuwabara didn't have his mother with him growing up.

"Mother consented to the seal a thousand years ago, and she never once regretted it. She hated not being there for Kazuma, but she never resented Raizen for what she agreed to do. Mother loves you too, Yusuke. It doesn't matter that we didn't even know your name, because Mother loved your entire family. When I was little, she told me stories about your ancestors. I could see how much she loved them. She even cried at Atsuko's wedding." Yeah, that's something he can't picture. His mother getting married? He never even saw pictures of the wedding, or of his father.

"Yeah, well, she might feel different after twenty years," he pointed out. Did she see him kick Kuwabara's ass? Did she see the Dark Tournament, when they thought Kuwabara was dead?

"Nah, Kuwabaras are stubborn. Right, sis?" Kuwabara smiled down at him, and Shizuru leaned up to wrap an arm around Kuwabara's shoulders.

"Right, little bro. We should get some sleep. Mother will wake up soon." Shizuru leaned down to kiss the top of Reigan's head, and Kuwabara lightly squeezed her hand before standing up. The siblings told him goodnight before leaving the room, and Yusuke fell back against the futon.

"Weirdest. Day. Ever."

 **.xXx.**

The room was lit up when her eyes opened, but the light wasn't on. Sunlight was pouring through an uncovered window and hitting her right in the face, and she reached up to shield her sensitive eyes. Being sealed away was…complicated. She'd had a body, but she hadn't been able to feel anything. She hadn't been able to see her surroundings. She'd been trapped in the dark, and she could only see the lives of others'. When she lashed out, her body hit stone. After twenty years, it was a little strange to open her eyes and actually _see_ something. In the darkness, all of the images were in her mind. Vivid, sure, but not tangible. Not like this. She can feel the warm sheets under her, the rough material of her pants against her feet, and the hair sticking to her cheeks.

"I'm free," she whispered. Her voice was a little rough from disuse, but she feels okay physically.

"Sorry it took so long." His voice isn't as deep as Raizen's, but his eyes…Her fingertips lightly touched under his left eye, where Raizen's mark was, and his beautiful chocolate eyes widened.

"When our demonic power was sealed and we thought we were human, Raizen had black hair and brown eyes. I guess white hair and violet eyes would have been too unusual for a human. You look just like him. The same shade and everything, but the look in them…It's like seeing Midoriko again." Raizen's human lover was tough but loved deeply, and Yusuke's eyes look just like hers. So _human_.

"Do you remember all of them?" He looked a little shocked at the question, and she can't stop touching him. She's been cut off from everything for so long.

"Yes. From Midoriko to you." A thousand years, countless generations, and she remembers them all. Her hand smoothed over his hair, and it's thick. Softer than Raizen's.

"Can you tell me what happened to my mom's family? To my dad? Mom never talked about it." Sweet Atsuko…she suffered so much in her life. She was strong, but everyone has a breaking point. Losing her husband had been the last straw.

"Atsuko Higurashi was only nine years old when her family died in a house fire. Her mother, father, two older brothers, older sister, and younger brother all died. I was able to get her out, she was unconscious from inhaling so much smoke, but I couldn't save the others. I tried, but the fire…it spread so fast." She looked down at her hands and remembered the way her skin blistered against the heat. She'd fought to get back inside, but she couldn't get past the fire. Atsuko was unconscious across the street, and she couldn't risk her life to save the girl's family. Not when she still had to protect Atsuko.

"And my dad?" Yusuke looked upset, which was reasonable, and Reigan reached out to grab his hands.

"After the fire, Atsuko went to a foster home. Her foster family wasn't unkind, but they weren't wonderful parents either. They took care of her without loving her. When she met Raijin Saito, she felt loved for the first time since she was little. She was sixteen, he was eighteen, and it was love at first sight. They moved in together when she was eighteen, and she worked while Raijin took classes. They got married after Raijin had a secure job at a law firm, when Atsuko was twenty-two. I saw her when she first went to the doctor to see if she was pregnant. It was the first time I had ever actually spoken with someone from Raizen's line."

"You talked to her?" Yusuke's eyes were slowly filling up with tears, but she's pretty sure her nephew hasn't even noticed.

"Just for a few minutes. She was so happy about having a child, so excited. I know you can't remember, but those first three years were good years. Your mother and father loved you so much. Raijin got a brain tumor, and he died quickly. Atsuko changed her last name after that, and yours, because it was just too painful. I know she made some questionable life choices but never doubt that she loved you, Yusuke. She lost so much in her young life, and she never really recovered from Raijin's death. You were the only thing that kept her alive." She made sure to wipe away Yusuke's tears before they fell, because she knows her nephew isn't the type to cry easily. Atsuko only passed away a few months ago though, and Yusuke is still grieving for her. He'll always grieve for her.

"You know she's gone, right?" She kept expecting to Yusuke to pull away from her, but he leaned towards her instead. She's sitting on the edge of the bed now, with her legs pulled under her, and Yusuke is kneeling on the floor in front of her. After only a moment of hesitation, she pulled him closer and gently pushed his head onto her lap. Her fingers moved through his hair, and his arms slowly came up to wrap around her.

"I know. It might be a little cliché so say, but she's in a better place now. Just like Raizen." She could feel Yusuke tense up, but she never faltered her petting. Because she is petting him. There's no other word for it.

"So you weren't kidding when you said you saw everything." Did she say that? Coming out of the statue was a little disorienting. She just remembers everyone looking at her and feeling bone tired.

"No, I wasn't. I had no control over what I saw or was allowed to rest, so I saw everything. All of your cases, the Dark Tournament, Sensui, the Demon World Tournament…it was like my own personal hell. Being forced to watch without being able to help. I've never felt so helpless. I even tried to escape a few times, but the seal wouldn't budge. Your destiny had to happen without interference."

"Because you would have saved me." He tilted his head to look up at her, and she smiled as she pushed some of his hair away from his eyes.

"Yes, I would have saved you. Even if it meant damning all three worlds." He's only twenty years old. He shouldn't look so burdened.

"I took you away from Shizuru and Kuwabara." She'll never understand why her son's friends insist on calling him by his surname.

"When I found out I was pregnant with Shizuru, I panicked. I had already consented to give my life to Raizen's line, so how could I possibly have my own? Eiji, Shizuru and Kazuma's father, asked me to see the pregnancy as something good. He was right. We raised Shizuru together, and I'll treasure those memories for as long as I live. Then I found out I was pregnant with Kazuma. Eiji was gone, Atsuko was pregnant with you…I knew that I would be sealed away, but I kept Kazuma anyway. I couldn't bear the thought of killing a piece of Eiji, of killing my child. I made the decision to have my children, despite knowing my future, and I don't regret any of it. So you stop having those thoughts right now."

"Is that your mom voice?" She could tell that he was using humor to make the situation easier, and he really is just like Raizen.

"You better get used to it, because I'm planning on sticking around for a while." Yusuke rested his arms across her lap as he sat up, and she smoothed his shirt down over his shoulders.

"I think I'm okay with that." He suddenly shot up to his feet, and her neck cracked when she tilted her head to look up at him. Huh, now that she's paying attention, she does feel a little stiff. "Wanna go find my cousins?"

"Best plan I've heard in a long time." A shower can wait. She wants to see her children.

 **.xXx.**

The kitchen was mostly empty when Yusuke walked in, and he glanced down at the woman standing next to him. He just can't seem to get over how small she looks, even next to him. Natsume and Kujou said she was always weaker than Raizen, but she's still an S-Class demon. Shouldn't she look more…demon-like? She had her hands stuffed into her pockets as she rocked up onto her toes, but it looks like the other three people in the room haven't noticed them yet. No, wait, make that four. Genkai, Shizuru, and Kuwabara are sitting at the kitchen table while Yukina is standing in front of the stove. Mmm, breakfast.

"Just sayin' it's a little weird that you never mentioned her, that's all," Kuwabara was mumbling.

"I couldn't very well tell you that your mother was sealed away in a statue in my backyard and waiting for Yusuke to say the magic words to signal her release. Would you have even believed me?" Wait, he said magic words? He doesn't remember saying any magic words. He just pulled on the beads and watched his aunt kinda melt out of the stone statue.

"Plus there was that whole sworn to secrecy thing for the fate of all three worlds." Reigan's tone was casual, but she rocked back onto her heels as she said it so that she was almost hiding behind his arm. Kuwabara and Genkai turned to look at her, but Shizuru was already out of her chair.

"Mother!" Him and Shizuru are the exact same height, so it was a little funny to see the tall woman bending down to hug Reigan. He's pretty sure his aunt's feet even came off the ground a little.

"Look at you, Shizuru. You've barely aged a day." Huh, Reigan has a point. Shizuru will be, what, thirty-eight this year? She doesn't look much older than her early twenties, if that.

"Must be my genetics, but I still look older than you." She's not wrong. Reigan looks barely twenty.

"You do not. You're just as beautiful as ever." He's pretty sure he's never seen Shizuru this relaxed or seen her smile this much. Has she felt her mother's loss all these years? Feet shuffled closer, and Shizuru stepped back and to the side as Kuwabara reached them. Yusuke grew over the years, matured a little bit, but Kuwabara has definitely changed. He finally stopped growing at six-five, so it's a little strange to see someone so big shift around nervously. He even hunched his shoulders down a little like he was trying to make himself look smaller.

"Hey, uh…" Kuwabara paused as he rubbed the back of his neck, and Yusuke realized that Reigan was biting down on the inside of her lip. Holding herself back and waiting for Kuwabara. "I don't really know what to call you. Mother, Mom, Ma…I never really thought about it before."

"You can call me whatever you want. It doesn't have to be that title. Reigan's fine, until you get used to it. I'm happy with anything." Kuwabara's brows drew down the more that she talked, and Yusuke was pretty sure that Shizuru was holding her breath just as much as he was as they waited for Kuwabara's reaction.

"Ma!" Reigan actually squealed as Kuwabara picked her up and spun her around, her back definitely popped at the tight hold, but her squealing soon turned into loud laughter.

"Kazuma!" Her arms were wrapped tight around Kuwabara's neck as they continued to spin around the kitchen, and Yusuke looked away. They'd both had tears in their eyes, and this is clearly a private moment. An arm hooked around his shoulders, and he stumbled as Shizuru pulled him against her side.

"Not bad for a family reunion, hmm?" Shizuru whispered to him. To _him_ , because they're family too.

"Sit down before you wreck my kitchen!" There was a loud _clunk_ ing sound as one of Genkai's sturdy metal teapots bounced off the back of Reigan's head, but she just laughed even louder. Kuwabara looked a little sheepish as he put Reigan back on her feet, but the big guy was still smiling.

"Oh, Kai, I've missed having you throw things at my head." Reigan gripped Kuwabara's sleeve as she moved over to the table, and they both slowly sat down. Shizuru pulled him over to the table as well, and she took the seat across from her mother. That left Yusuke sitting across from Kuwabara, since Genkai was sitting at the head of the table between Shizuru and Reigan.

"I was hoping all those years of solitude would finally make you wizen up some," Genkai huffed.

"I'm plenty wise. I just like seeing that look on your face." Genkai's look was one full of annoyance and long suffering, it's a look that Yusuke knows all too well, but it doesn't seem to faze Reigan at all. Well, it's good to know that he's not the only one that can give Genkai that expression.

"Would you like something to eat, Lady Reigan?" The title confused him, and it looked like it confused the siblings he's sitting with as well.

"I haven't been a Lady in a very long time, so please just call me Reigan. And breakfast sounds wonderful. Thank you, Yukina." The ice maiden beamed before walking back towards the stove, and Reigan looked around at all of them. "What?"

"Lady Reigan?" It sounded like Shizuru was teasing her, but it's a real question.

"Yeah, I don't think I've heard anyone be called Lady. We tried it with Kokou, but she insisted on being called Queen." Yusuke rolled his eyes at the thought of the lush, but it wasn't in annoyance. He likes Kokou, most of the time. She definitely makes the meetings interesting.

"Before I came to Human World full-time, I was known as Lady Reigan of Tourin. Sometimes just Lady Tourin for short. It's an old title, but it's meant to show respect. And it's appreciated!" She called out the last part, probably for Yukina to hear, and Yusuke slowly nodded. He's pretty sure Hokushin mentioned a Lady Tourin at some point, but he never went into details so Yusuke didn't bother to ask. He had enough things to worry about at the time. Like figuring out how to be a demon and a human.

"You are very welcome, Reigan." Yukina sat down a few plates of food, and Reigan immediately dug in. Looks like being awake and locked up for twenty years really made her hungry. Yukina left them to eat and excused herself, and Reigan smiled and nodded as they all talked around her.

"You only slept for two days. Are you sure that's enough?" Genkai asked her. Shizuru and Kuwabara talked about their lives, and Reigan listened intently the whole time. She said she saw everything while she was sealed away, but it looked like she was hanging onto every word as she devoured pretty much every piece of food put in front of her.

"I'm not sure. I still feel pretty weak, but I don't know if that's from the seal or collar." Since she didn't change after waking up, she's still in the same baggy jeans and tank top that she was wearing when she came out of the statue. Her fingers lightly touched against the silver collar around the base of her throat, and he realized that he wasn't the only one looking at it.

"Can't you just take it off now? Demons are allowed to crossover, even the S-Class." Kuwabara glanced over at him as he said it, and he's not technically wrong. Demons can crossover, but they need Enki's approval first. They keep a detailed log of all the demons that crossover so that they can keep Human World as safe as possible.

"No, not yet. I'll have to take it off in the Demon World." Her eyes seemed to glaze over as she said the words, and she shook her head when she finished speaking. "Whoa, I haven't done that in a while. I was starting to think I'd lost it."

"You couldn't see in the statue?" He almost spoke up at Genkai's question, but he closed his mouth and really thought about it. Reigan said that she was able to see everything but had no control over what she saw, but Kurama said that she was a seer. So did Natsume and Kujou.

"I saw the present as it was happening, and that was all. I couldn't even hear whispers of the future, or fully understand the present. No past. Just the present." Her hands raised so that she could press her fingers against her temples, and he realized that her hands were shaking. Not enough to be really noticeable, but enough for him to tell that something wasn't right.

"But you just saw something now, didn't you?" Shizuru asked. Reigan stopped massaging her temples to look across the table, and one side of her mouth quirked up into a smile.

"Not exactly. Just a whisper. Taking this," she paused to tap the collar before continuing, "off in Human World isn't safe. It's hidden my energy for a thousand years, and it's absorbed it too. My energy will be released when it comes off, and I can't do that here. I can't take it off now anyway. I'm still weak. Don't have enough energy. Taking it off now could kill me."

"We just got you back." Shizuru easily reached across the table to grab Reigan's hands, and Kuwabara reached over to brace a hand against her shoulder.

"We can't lose you now," Kuwabara added.

"She's not going anywhere. She'll stay here until she builds her energy back up." Genkai's tone didn't leave any room for argument, and Reigan slumped a little in relief. It looks like relief anyway.

"I'll go talk to Enki and get you a pass to stay here. I'm sure it won't be a problem, unless you and Enki secretly hate each other or something?" Reigan smiled over at him, and she let go of one of Shizuru's hands so that she could reach for him. Her hand felt so small in his, but her palm is rough.

"I think Enki was my first real friend. He found me and Raizen, asked to join us, and never left us. Until Raizen made him. Enki is a good man, an honorable one. When you ask for my pass, tell him that I will return as soon as I'm able. I've missed him. Missed all of them. But do me one last favor?"

"Yeah, sure." _Never left us…until Raizen made him._ Enki has told him a little about Raizen over the years, but he's always vague about what happened to make Enki and the others leave. Maybe he was keeping quiet out of respect for Raizen, but Yusuke would like to know the whole story one day.

"Wait until tomorrow to leave? Let me enjoy having my family all together for one night." Family. It's going to take some time for him to get used to having actual family around.

"I think I can do that."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** Reigan is free! I know there was a lack of Hiei in this chapter, but Rei needs to connect with her family. It's a weird situation for everyone, but I promise that there will be a little more Hiei in the next chapter.

Now, as for Atsuko's backstory, I completely made it up. It was never mentioned that Yusuke had any other family, and I don't remember his father being mentioned in the anime. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.) So I came up with a tragic backstory as a way to kind of explain why Atsuko was the way she was. Don't get me wrong, I love Atsuko's character, but this is just how it worked out in this story. One day, I'll write a YYH story that's closer to canon and not so sad at times. Maybe. If there's any questions about anything, please don't hesitate to ask!

I know everyone seems really calm about everything, but they've had two days to process things while Reigan was sleeping. There's still going to be some adjustments and random awkwardness, but everyone is slowly getting used to the idea of Reigan.

Since I didn't get any responses last time, I'm going to re-post the questions I asked in the last chapter's Author's Note. If you don't feel comfortable answering the questions in a review, you can always send me a message. I love replying to messages! But any kind of reply would be fantastic, since I am writing ahead and could use the help.

Genkai…If she was in her younger form, but with her memories still intact, who would you ship her with? It can be a human or a demon, male or female, or it can even be a character from a different anime. I won't do a crossover, but I can use their basic features and personality. (Like how I based Eiji off of Gildarts from Fairy Tail.) I'm really drawing a blank on who Genkai would be with, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

One other thing: how do all of you feel about the graphic scenes? Not the fights. The sex scenes. Do you want them to be detailed (with a few limits because of how FF can be), vague (with just a few phrases to give an idea of what's happening), or fade to black (where the action gets started but then moves to the "afterglow" immediately after)?

 **SakiHanajima1:** I'm sorry! I don't mean to be evil; it just happens that way sometimes. I hope this chapter made up for it a little. No dying! I'm going to try to update once a week, so that the updates can be kind of regular. The reactions were a little subdued, but everyone is still kind of in shock. Our favorite little fire demon will be in the next chapter though…Thank you for the review!

 **demonppl:** It was a tease, but I'm going to make up for it! The next few chapters are all about family bonding (with a sprinkling of Hiei), so I hope that helps! I'm so glad you like the story, and it's hard to feel down when I have such amazing reviewers. So thank you for the kind words and for the review!

 **Leahcar-Soutaichou:** I have a love-hate relationship with cliffhangers. Hate reading them, but love writing them. I'll do my best to update regularly so that you're not left in suspense. Thank you for the review!

 **DaurthNoS:** No! You can't die! And this chapter didn't have a cliffhanger, so everything is okay now. Thank you for the review!

 **Guest:** Thanks for reading LWIYF! And thanks for rereading it, because it is not a short story. Took me forever to write it too. I'm hoping that this story will make up for some of the mistakes I made in that story, so thank you for reading this story as well. And thank you for the review!


	8. It Was Very Enlightening

**Author's Note:** I said that I would update again on Monday, but it's only Wednesday. I really was determined to wait a whole week before updating, instead of two days, but two important things happened to make me update early. First, I went on a writing binge. I pretty much just typed for an entire day, and I'm working on Chapter 16 now. All of the chapters are at a minimum of 5000 words, so that's a lot of content. It gives me a buffer on the updating schedule. Reason number two…is because of my reviewers! The story hit 40 reviews, and I like well-rounded numbers. The last chapter has the highest amount of reviews, and this is my way of saying thank-you to everyone who took the time to say something nice. THANK YOU!

 **Post Date:** 03 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 5600

* * *

 **Chapter Eight  
** **It Was Very Enlightening**

After breakfast, which Reigan ate most of, Yusuke wandered outside. Before he knew it, he was sitting on the top step that led to the temple grounds. He's got a lot of memories of these stairs. Mostly running up and down them, usually weighed down with something. All that time, he had a blood relative just on the other side of the temple. Okay, the mountain is a little farther away than that, but not by much. All those times he kicked Kuwabara's ass, he was beating up his cousin. He's the reason that Kuwabara was forced to enter the Dark Tournament! Kuwabara could have died, and it would have been his fault. He could have had his own blood killed.

"You're thinking way too hard, Urameshi." Kuwabara sprawled on the step below the one that he was on, but they were still pretty much eye-level. Damned giant.

"Am not." He kicked at Kuwabara's ribcage, which was dodged, and pain bloomed over his kneecap.

"Are too. Your forehead's all wrinkled up." Yusuke stopped rubbing at his aching knee to touch his forehead, and he glared over at Kuwabara as he felt the creases.

"Okay. So what if I am? It's been a crazy couple of days."

He didn't mean to badger Reigan with questions as soon as she woke up, but the questions just kind of spilled out of him. When his mom was dying, she only had a few lucid moments. In those times, she apologized to him. Apologized for being a bad mother, for never mentioning his father, and for not talking about her family. Said it was wrong of her to be so closed off and that she wished she'd been able to change it. He just held her and told her that none of that mattered. She kept his sorry ass alive, loved him, and that was good enough for him. Then there was Reigan. Someone who knew absolutely everything about all of his ancestors, including his mother. He wanted to know why his mother was the way she was, and Reigan didn't hold back. She told him everything, and he hated what his mother went through. It's no wonder she started drinking and did whatever she could to forget the past.

"Yeah, tell me about it. Growing up, it was just me and Shizuru. I never felt like I was missing out, because Sis took care of me. Now, my mother is alive. Alive and a demon. Shizuru told me everything, so I know I'm a demon too. Well, half-demon. So much for being the only human team member, huh?" _Shit_. He didn't even think about how weird this must be for Kuwabara. Yeah, Reigan is his aunt and everything, but Raizen is technically his ancestral father. From a thousand years ago. Reigan is Kuwabara's direct biological mother. He also forgot about that whole half-demon thing.

"How ya handlin' all this?" Yusuke's had time to deal with the fact that he's not wholly human, but Kuwabara hasn't. Even Shizuru, now that she has her real memories back, has known that she was part demon since the beginning.

"Wanna know the worst part?" Kuwabara looked absolutely serious, so Yusuke decided to be a good friend and really hear him out. It doesn't matter that they're cousins now; they started out as friends, and that's all that matters. (Well, eventually became friends. Whatever.)

"What's that?"

"Findin' out that I'm related to your punk ass." Kuwabara said it with a straight-face, that he was able to hold for all of five seconds. Then the giant was laughing so hard that he doubled over, and Yusuke let out a war cry as he tackled him down the stairs.

"Yeah, well, I'm not happy about being related to you either, dumbass!" he yelled as they continued to bounce off the stone steps. Kuwabara was still laughing as they lazily threw punches, and Yusuke was laughing along with him before long. Everything is still weird, but they'll get through it. They always do.

 **.xXx.**

After breakfast was over, Reigan retreated into her room. She was only there to grab some clean clothes and then she bolted towards the shower. It's been a little updated since the last time she showered twenty years ago, and that thought alone was enough to make her shiver. Yeah, she was kinda frozen-like and didn't get dirty, but the thought of a hot shower sounds like heaven. The water pressure was much better than the old shower, and she held still for several minutes to just let the hot water pour over her. Some of the tension in her muscles eased under the hot spray, and it felt good to scrub her skin. Like she was scrubbing off the past two decades so that she can start fresh.

Leaving the shower almost physically hurt, but the water was starting to turn cold so she didn't have much of a choice. She had to wipe steam off the mirror, and it was almost a shock to see herself again. When she was sealed away, she could only see what was happening to everyone else. Which meant that she never once saw herself. She hasn't changed a bit though. She pulled up a pair of loose blue jeans and secured them to her hips with a dark blue belt. (It's so strange to wear a belt without her weapons attached to it.) The tank top she pulled on was black, the straps were thinner than one of her fingers, and the back was low enough that the raven was nearly completely exposed. Since her hair was still wet, she carefully brushed it out and quickly braided it. The end of her hair reaches just below her shoulder blades now…should she cut it or let it grow long?

She couldn't feel anyone close by when she stepped out of the shower, and she tried to expand her senses to see if she could feel anyone. She still feels weak, weaker than she's let on, so it took longer than she was used to. Shizuru was with Genkai somewhere else in the temple. The other side of the temple. It's good that those two are bonding again. Her and Genkai might have their differences, but Genkai loves Shizuru. The psychic even helped raise her. Yukina was outside but still close, so she must be in the gardens. Kazuma and Yusuke are even farther away, to the east. They're at the staircase that leads to the temple. She can't feel Hiei, Kurama, or Botan. They're either too far away from her current location or gone completely. She knows that Kurama stays busy leading two lives; dutiful son here in the Human World and Yomi's second in command in the Demon World. Hiei could be anywhere, and she's assuming that Botan returned to the Spirit World. Koenma probably knows everything by now. Does Enma?

It took a little while for her to decide, but she eventually decided on where to go. She didn't come across anyone as she left the temple, and her feet turned north. So many different textures tickled her feet…wood, grass, rocks. Just feeling the light wind against her skin is amazing. She's had thousands of years to experience pretty much everything, but it took having two decades of nothing to make her actually appreciate everything. Sight, touch, smell, and even taste. Yukina's breakfast this morning had tasted delicious. The only thing she didn't miss out on while she was sealed was hearing, but it's nice to be heard again. It took her a little longer than usual to reach her destination, but she was still there before too long.

"We have both stood for thousands of years, and we both look untouched by time. I can't help but wonder, do you hate me for the same reason that I hate you? Do you hate me for the lie of it all? They created you to honor their guardian, their protector, but I did not keep the village alive out of the goodness of my heart. I did it because of you. Because you have always reminded me that there was a time when I was human, with a human's heart, and I betrayed all of that. Slaughtered for sport and fed on the humans that I once promised to save. Is that why I was imprisoned inside of you? Just one more punishment for the Guardian of Aoyama?"

The statue remained still and silent, as always, and Reigan reached forward to lay her palm against the statue's smooth cheek. The mountain at the statue's back is still blue, still saturated with her demonic energy, and it still hurts to stand so close to it. This was her home as a human and again as a demon, and it was also her prison. Her statue should have been well weathered by now, cracked and chipped in places, but it's still perfect. As if the villagers just carved it yesterday, but most people don't even know it exists anymore. Just like most people don't even know that she exists anymore.

"Are you always so dramatic?" The voice startled her so much that she pulled her hand back, and she tipped her head back to look up at the mountain. Above an opening to the cave there's a small outcropping, just large enough for a single person to sit comfortably. Dark red eyes glared down at her, but she doesn't think that he's really glaring at her. He just always looks angry.

"Hiei." She's never dared to say his name out loud, but she likes the way his name feels on her tongue.

"All of them paint as you some kind of saint, but you're no better than any other demon." Well, going by his tone, he might be a little mad at her. She just doesn't know why. She's never even had a chance to talk to him before this moment.

"No, I'm no better than any other demon and I'm definitely not a saint. Why are you here?" From what she's seen, he prefers trees. Wilderness. He has no reason to perch on her mountain.

"Waiting for you." She felt her brow rise at that, and she stepped around her statue so that she could walk closer to him. He's sitting several feet above her head, but she wants to be close to him. As close as she can get.

"Well, here I am." Her arms spread out, leaving her wide open, and his eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. Surely she hasn't done something in the few hours that she's been conscious to make him mad?

"I've seen you before." Well, that's just not possible. He'd been nearly three when she was sealed away, so she never got a chance to see him before being locked up. She only saw him once he became a part of Yusuke's destiny, and she knows that he never came to her statue until Genkai gathered everyone there.

"Is that so?" Maybe there's a demon somewhere out there that looks like her? Or he might have heard stories about her from other demons and seen a likeness of her, but she doesn't remember anyone ever drawing a picture book of her.

"I saw you when my Jagan eye was implanted. Do you know what I saw?" The Jagan, right. She was able to hear the story as it was told to Mukuro, but he never mentioned seeing her. He only got the implant to find Yukina and the island where he was born, so how did he see her?

"No. I'm not a mind reader, Hiei, so why don't you just tell me?" Her sense of sight is slowly coming back to her, but it's like smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with her bare hands. The whispers are slipping through the cracks and skittering away before she can make sense of anything. Everything is so jumbled up.

"I'll show you."

 _The pain was searing. It cut through the skin, the skull, and down even deeper. Every nerve screamed for relief but there was none. Nothing but pain as energy was slowly drained away. After everything that's been suffered, this is the worst. The pain is necessary. It is needed. It's the only way to find_ them _, to find_ her. _This pain must be endured, because this pain is worth it. It is worth it._

" _Hiei." Her voice is like a cool breeze, bringing him relief from the scorching heat of the pain for a moment. Her shape slowly took form in the darkness, and his growl caused her to smile. Small fangs dented her bottom lip. Dark blue eyes softened as they looked at him. The ends of her blonde hair swept across his chest as she leaned over him to swipe a hand down his cheek._

" _Leave. Me. Alone." This must be a test. He will not fail. He will not let some specter distract him from his task._

" _I am not a specter. I am your destiny." Her eyes are such a dark blue color, and the deep color stands out against her tan skin. "We will be together one day, Hiei. You and I, together, will be unstoppable. Survive this. Grow stronger. Find me."_

" _I do not need you." Her laugh was quiet, and her hand was soft against his skin. Cool to the touch. She smells like heavy minerals, like stone, and…something lighter. Sweeter._

" _Lilac trees were planted in my honor. I keep the flowers on me at all times. The scent is so light, sometimes it can only be sensed when carried on a breeze." Her hand swept over the length of his torso without ever actually touching him, and the slight breeze felt good against his burning skin._

" _You are not real." His senses are playing tricks on him. He can see her, hear her, smell her…but she is not real._

" _I am very real, Hiei. You'll see, soon enough. Survive this. Grow stronger. Find me." She pulled away from him and stood next to his prone body, and she clasped her hands in front of her. In front of his eyes, she turned immobile and then into stone and then into smoke. Gone._

"Was it you?" Her back is flat against the ground, but she can't see the stretch of the blue sky above her. Instead, she can only see crimson. Shining crimson, with so much anger. Hiei has loosened up a little over the years, especially since teaming up with Yusuke and the others. Mukuro has helped him as well, and he finally told Yukina he was her brother about two years ago. Looking at him now, it's hard to tell that he's ever "lightened up" in his life.

"It may have looked like me, but that was not me. I didn't come to you, Hiei." There were times when she tried to look for him, tried to control what she was seeing, but she couldn't. The first time she saw him after being sealed was when he fought against Yusuke.

"But you're not surprised." Her eyes flicked away from his and up to the white bandage wrapped around his forehead, and her eyes widened just a little bit as they settled on the Jagan. She can't actually see it, but she knows what happened now.

"The things that I know, that I see, that I hear…they're not set in stone. Everything can change in an instant. The first time I saw your eyes was over three thousand years ago, and I knew that you were meant to be mine. I didn't even know your name, but it didn't matter. I dreamed about your birth, twice. The first time was two thousand years ago, but I had a lot of dreams that night so everything got mixed up. Then I saw it again on the day that you were born, and I knew again that I was seeing it because you were meant to be mine. I didn't see you again until you crossed paths with Yusuke, but that feeling has never once faded. You're meant to be mine, and I'm meant to be yours."

"You just said that what you see is not set in stone." He's still glaring down at her, and Reigan slowly pushed herself up. Her palms were pressed flat against the ground, and Hiei straightened up as she sat up.

"Not all of it is, but some things are meant to happen. What you saw, that was the Jagan Eye. It showed you a way to become more powerful, by having a strong mate." Hiei's jaw clenched so hard that she could see a muscle ticking along his jaw line, but she's just telling the truth.

"I make my own destiny." With that said, Hiei turned on his heel and disappeared. She knows that he's fast, but she should have been able to track his movements. She's definitely weaker than she should be. It's a good thing that she wasn't planning on running after him, because there's really no point. Hiei is still young, even by human standards. He's only twenty-three. She didn't expect him to take one look at her and fall in love, and she doesn't mind waiting for him. For now, she'll focus on her family. Once the fire demon has gotten used to her, she'll try pursuing him. (The Jagan Eye is something for her to be careful of. How did the Jagan know about the lilac trees? The priestesses planted them in her honor for centuries, but she never told anyone outside of her family about them. Or that she liked to sleep near their light scent when the weather was warm.)

Then there's that parting statement. _I make my own destiny._ Shikaku told her years ago that those words would set her free, but the raven had been talking about the son. About Yusuke. Did she see Hiei too? It wouldn't surprise her if Shikaku had seen him, since her friend has a better handle on the whole sight thing, but a little bit of warning would have been nice. She'll have to ask Shikaku the next time that she sees her, assuming she's come out of seclusion. She said she wouldn't return until Reigan did, but Reigan's not sure when she'll be able to return to the Demon World. Returning in her weakened state would not be wise.

"Reigan. Been a long time." She blinked twice, in quick succession, and then slowly looked up. Light brown hair, just barely avoiding being shaggy, and light brown eyes. Angular face and clean-cut robes. JR stamped on his forehead.

"Koenma," she breathed out. Blue hair and pink eyes popped out from behind Koenma's arm, and Botan nervously wringed her hands as she looked down at her.

"I'm sorry, Reigan, but I had to report everything I knew to Prince Koenma. Please don't be mad." The reaper is just too cute for her own good. Reigan smiled as she pushed herself to her feet, and she waved a hand as Botan continued to apologize.

"Don't worry about it. He was going to find out eventually, right, sir?" Koenma looked down at Botan before looking back at her, and Reigan can't read the look in his eyes.

"You didn't have to hide everything from me, Reigan." It sounds like the god is…hurt.

"Would you have let me live if you knew my mission? Waiting for the Atavism of the Mazoku? Would you have allowed my children to stay in this world? Would your father?" She knows that Koenma took a big risk when he helped her and Raizen into the Demon World; all of the protocols said that they should have died before their power could grow, but Koenma felt like he owed them. Felt like they deserved better after fighting to keep the Human World safe.

"I have always been on your side! I deserved to know the truth! I sent those boys on missions!" Koenma's cheeks flushed as he yelled at her, and Reigan raised her chin so that she could look him right in the eye.

"You did what had to be done! Shikaku knew that Yusuke's destiny was to save all three worlds, and Kuwabara was a part of that destiny too! It had to happen, without interference, from any of us! I did what I had to!" She was breathing a little hard after she finished, and Koenma looked a little more understanding. Less angry. "I also did it to protect you, Koenma. You saved me and Raizen, at your own risk. I couldn't ask you to do it again."

"History repeated itself anyway," Koenma sighed. Yes, when the time came, he supported Yusuke. He must have known then who Yusuke's ancestral father was, but he saved her nephew anyway. She'll forever be grateful for that.

"You say that like you're sorry for stickin' up for me." Yusuke's voice carried over to them, and Reigan had to fight not to laugh as Koenma rolled his eyes. Watching their banter was a good source of entertainment while she was sealed.

"What brings you here, Koenma?" Kazuma asked.

"It better not be to harass our mother," Shizuru added. Reigan felt warmth spread through her chest at the look on her children's faces, because they're clearly ready to fight for her if they must.

"No, it's nothing like that! Honest! Koenma would never—"

"Koenma wouldn't, but Enma would." Genkai cut Botan off, and the reaper looked down at her feet. That's not a good sign. Koenma looked around at all of them and sighed, and Reigan straightened her spine when he looked back to her.

"My father wishes to speak with you." Loud voices quickly echoed around her, but Koenma whistled to get their attention. "Not just Reigan. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shizuru…he wishes to speak to all of you as well."

"You give your word that he won't harm them?" she asked Koenma.

"As if he could," Yusuke huffed. Reigan cut her eyes over at him, and he snorted before crossing his arms and looking off to the side.

"You have my word. He only wants to talk." Koenma lightly bowed his head as he spoke, and Reigan nodded once he was looking at her again.

"I'll talk to him. As for the rest of you, you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I'm not leaving you," Shizuru said first.

"If you're going, I'm going," Kazuma said and smiled at her. She looked at Yusuke last, and his cocky smile was definitely handed down to him from Raizen.

"Can't let you have all the fun," was her nephew's response.

"Then it's settled." Koenma lifted his hand, smiled, and snapped his fingers. Reigan felt like her entire body was being compressed for a moment, but the feeling quickly faded. When her eyes opened, she was standing inside of a giant room instead of outside. Spirit World.

"Reigan." The deep voice echoed in the room and under her sternum, and she had to look up a long way to see the great King Enma. He was sitting in a chair but still towered over them all; she barely stood above his ankle. His glasses slipped down as he looked down at them, and he's got Koenma's light brown eyes. His hair is black though, and she just can't get over the size of him.

"Enma. It's nice to finally meet the man who keeps trying to kill my family." She propped her fists on her hips as she stared up at him, because she is not afraid of him. It doesn't matter if she's weaker than she's been in a very long time. She will never show this man fear.

"Reigan!"

"You tell 'im, auntie!" That's the first time that Yusuke has called her that, and she smiled at him before shrugging at Koenma. She's not going to apologize for telling the truth.

"I owe you and your nephew an explanation. One that I believe your children should hear as well." Enma motioned for them to have a seat on a very long couch, and Reigan made her way over to it. Shizuru and Kazuma sat on either side of her, Yusuke sat next to Kazuma with Koenma on his other side, and Botan sat next to Shizuru. Once they were all sitting, the couch lifted into the air until they were eye-level with Enma. "As you know, all three worlds are currently at peace. I meet with King Enki quite frequently, and I count him as a friend."

"Doesn't explain why you've always wanted us dead." Reigan knows that she's probably pushing it, but Enma is taking away time that she could be spending with her family.

"Many years ago, before I met Koenma's mother and when I was still just a prince, I fell in love with a Mazoku demon. It was before there was any real order in the Demon World, and we met when I was there trying to create treaties on my father's behalf. She was my first love."

"You never told me you loved someone before my mother," Koenma said quietly. So the spirit prince is hearing all of this for the first time as well.

"Because we didn't get to enjoy our love for long. My father distrusted the Mazoku; they were a rare demon breed even then, and other beings told tales of their ruthless nature. I didn't believe it, because she was the most loving and passionate person that I have ever known. That did not stop my father from having her killed." Botan's gasp echoed in the cavernous room, and Reigan reached up to lightly massage the back of her neck. All of this is starting to give her a headache.

"So you hate our family because your Mazoku lover was killed?" she asked when the silence had stretched on for too long.

"Her death was the catalyst. Her parents mated out of necessity, to increase their strength and carry on their lines. They cared for one another but were not in love, but they both loved their daughter. They loved her so much that her death caused them to lose themselves. Together, they set out to destroy all three worlds. The Demon World was decimated, and they nearly caused humans to go extinct. Her mother was killed in the Human World, her soul was instantly destroyed, and her father was able to break into the Spirit World. My lover's cousin was able to kill him, but not before her father killed mine. The cousin was Raiden, and I brought him here."

"My father?" Shizuru and Kazuma each grabbed one of her hands, and she was careful not to squeeze too hard. The only memory she has of her father is of killing him. Or, rather, holding him still while Raizen killed him. It's all the same in the end.

"Raiden swore then that Demon World was to be kept separate from Spirit World or he would finish what his uncle started. I believed him. He and two others were able to rebuild Demon World, and the three of them were able to keep the balance between control and chaos. Raiden dedicated most of his life to Demon World, which is why he waited so long to take a mate and have children. When his mate was killed and his children disappeared, I watched as he slowly went mad. Like his aunt and uncle before him. Do you know why the Mazoku are so dangerous?"

"Because we're all insane badasses?" Yusuke asked. Kazuma elbowed him in the ribs, but Yusuke just winced a little and then kept on smiling.

"We are quick to call demons mindless killers, and I know that I am responsible for that view. Demons also have the capacity to love. Deeply. Selfishly. The Mazoku are dangerous because of their love. It is an all-consuming, violent, selfish love. Tell me, Reigan, what would happen if I killed your children?" She had to swallow down the growl building in her chest, and she lightly squeezed her children's hands as she looked into Enma's eyes.

"Decide to kill them, sir, and I'll tell you what I see. Decide that they must die now, before the seals are removed. Before they learn how to control their demon energy. Before they have a chance to grow strong. Decide that the potential threat is too great and that they must die now."

 _Lying dead in front of her. Quick. Clean. Gone. The rage that builds inside of her is blinding, and she is empty. There's nothing left of her, because they were a part of her. With them gone, there is no reason for her to exist._

 _Bodies fall at her feet. Tens. Hundreds. Thousands. She can taste blood on her tongue from devouring humans in droves, but she is still empty. It doesn't matter how many lives that she takes, because it isn't enough. It's never enough._

 _They stand together, side-by-side. Rage. Guilt. Despair. All three worlds have become unbalanced because of their rampage, but it is all over now. Everything is over now. They have seen to that. When they are cut down, it is a welcome relief._

"Ma! You okay?" Kazuma had one arm around her shoulders to keep her upright, and Shizuru was looking at her with worried eyes. Reigan smiled at them, a little shakily, and then looked back at Enma. It's been a long time since she saw something so clearly, and the images are still making her insides feel shaky.

"If you killed them, I'd destroy all three worlds to avenge them. Thousands, possibly millions, of innocent lives would be lost. I wouldn't be alone in my revenge though." She flicked her eyes past Kazuma to Yusuke, and his eyes widened as he pointed at himself. "Yusuke loves them too. They have always been his friends, and he'd lose himself too. Together, we would make it into Spirit World. We'd be killed, but not before killing you. Our line would finally be wiped out, but you wouldn't live long enough to see it."

"Am I wrong for fearing the power of the Mazoku?" Enma asked her. Yusuke and Kazuma were whispering next to her, Kazuma was teasing Yusuke about being a great big ol' fluff ball, but she couldn't look away from Enma.

"Wouldn't you do the same thing for your son?" Enma looked over at Koenma, who shifted slightly under his father's steady gaze.

"I would." That's what she was expecting to hear. She can't speak for her own ancestors, but her and Raizen are selfish when it comes to love. Raizen was willing to die for the woman that he loved, and he put himself in agony for a thousand years so that he could be with her again one day. Going off what she just saw, she'd be willing to kill anyone in her way if Shizuru and Kazuma were killed. Looked like the same was true for Yusuke too.

"Then I guess we're not so different. You should probably decide not to kill them though, or Yusuke. Just because I'm capable of being that monster doesn't mean that I want to be." Enma made a noise low in his throat as he shifted in his seat, and the bloody future that she only saw pieces of disappeared. She can't see the future now, anything is possible, but it won't be bloody. Well, it won't be bloody because of King Enma's actions.

"I asked you here to explain myself and to give you my word that nothing will happen to you or your family. Unless one of you goes on an unsanctioned killing spree." He took his time to look them all in the eye, and Reigan huffed loud enough for him to hear.

"We'll all be good. Promise."

"You may remain in Human World until your strength returns. I will personally speak with King Enki on the matter. Once your collar is removed, you may visit the Human World whenever you choose. You were there for a thousand years without harming any humans, without due cause, so I believe that you can be trusted. The same goes for you, Yusuke Urameshi. You have proven to be a great ally to all three worlds, so you are free to travel as you please. As for your children, Reigan, they may remove the seals whenever they wish and live wherever they want. Their status as half-demons will not influence my decision."

"Truce?" Reigan asked. It sounds almost too good to be true. King Enma is really going to let all of them off the hook?

"Truce," Enma agreed.

"Glad that's settled. Mind sending us back now? I'd like to spend some time with my family. We've got a lot to catch up on." Enma bowed his head, and they were gone a moment later. She blinked, and she was back at the temple.

"That was weird. Anyone else think that was weird?" Yusuke asked.

"I thought it was very enlightening," Botan countered.

"You alright, Ma?" She tipped her head back to smile up at Kazuma, and he really is the spitting image of his father.

"Never been better. Ready for lunch?" Laughter rang out around her, and her brows furrowed as she looked around. What? She's hungry.

"Come on, Mother. Let's get you fed," Shizuru said and started pulling her into the temple. She's still not seeing the joke, but she's also not one to turn down food.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I want to repeat this: Reigan did NOT visit Hiei while he was getting the Jagan implanted. There's only some details about the Jagan in the anime, but I've always thought it was one of the most powerful things on the show. If used properly. In this story, the Jagan is like a separate sentient being, but it serves Hiei. The Jagan saw a way to make Hiei more powerful, thus making itself more powerful, through Reigan. More will be explained on that later. (For my old readers, I promise Hiei and Rei's relationship won't be like it was in LWIYF. Hiei will always be stubborn, but there's going to be so much more interaction. So try not to let Hiei worry you.)

Enma! I made up his backstory on the spot, while writing. I've always wondered why Enma wanted Yusuke dead so bad, why he was so worried about a Mazoku demon rising. Yusuke had already proven, several times over, that he was a good guy and willing to fight for the Human World and Spirit World. But the second Yusuke became a Mazoku demon, Enma wanted him dead. It seemed a little irrational, and what makes people irrational? Love! It's okay if you don't like the backstory, because it's never really going to be brought up again. I just wanted Reigan, Yusuke, Shizuru, and Kuwabara to be able to live in the Human World without interference.

If there's any questions about anything (or if you have any fears about this story), I'd be happy to talk it out!

 **Zayren Heart:** Reigan is finally free! I'm so glad that you've enjoyed the story so far, and I hope you liked the early update! Thanks for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Haha, I promise to deliver more details than I did in LWIYF. I haven't seen Assassination Classroom, but I looked up Karasuma scenes and now I really want to watch it. He was a total badass! Thank you for the suggestion though. I think I have it figured out now. (We both know that I can change my mind at the drop of a hat, but I'm pretty sure that I'm sure about what to do with Genkai.) I have missed the little nudges reminding me to update, but once a week is pretty good, isn't it? Beats waiting a year for an update. lol. As for the length of this story, I'm not sure. I never meant for LWIYF to be 60 chapters; I thought it'd be closer to 30. So I'm not planning on this story being as long as LWIYF, but you never know. Thank you, as always, for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** All of your beautiful reviews nearly brought me to tears, so thank you! Most of your questions were answered, but I'll reply to the ones that haven't been fully answered. I thought it'd be more interesting if Rei wasn't allowed to interact at all but still knew everything, and it all just kind of clicked together. As for Kurama, I think being a little more human would make him a little more respectful. And I picture Yoko as a very arrogant and prideful demon, even when standing across from someone stronger than him. Reigan really did get a crap deal, but Shikaku warned her that she'd suffer. Seers don't lie. I'm so glad that you're all caught up! You know how much I love writing family bonding scenes, so there's more of those to come. The next chapter? I wrote it while listening to sad instrumental music, so be afraid. Hiei is still going to be frustrating and stubborn, because I don't think he'd be believable any other way. There's going to be actual interaction in this story though, I promise. Thank you again for all of the lovely reviews! (See? Two exclamation points. That's a super thank you.)

 **Melody-Ravenwood:** Yep, Rei is finally out! I love writing family bonding scenes, especially the really emotional ones, so there will be more of those. Don't worry, we can cry together. Thank you for the review!

 **DaurthNoS:** Yusuke and Kuwabara always reminded me of my cousins with the way they fought, but still stuck up for each other, so I thought it wouldn't be too much of a stretch. I also really love big happy families. So I'm glad you liked the little twist! And thank you for the review!

 **silentworld11:** First off, you are amazing at explaining yourself through text! Believe me when I say that writers pray to see a review like the one you left me, and I'll do my best to reply to it properly. You really don't have to review LWIYF; I'm proud of that story and will always love it, but I know it was flawed. That's what this story is for! There's still going to be ships, because I can't help myself, but there's going to be more Hiei. Specifically, more Hiei and Rei. And I know the "past" thing was tedious, but I didn't want it to drag out for twenty chapters like it did in LWIYF. Writing all of the interactions has been pretty fun, and I am dying to write Kuwabara's reaction to Reigan and Hiei being together. (I have to write sequentially, so I can't write the scene until the story is there. Does that make any sense?) Genkai's personality isn't going to change, because I think she's perfect. I love Genkai's character. Haha, that was a very specific answer...is that a specific character or an OC? Because I'm slightly tempted to write a one-shot about Genkai's past now. I agree with you about the sex scenes. I was mostly asking to make sure that my readers were comfortable with everything. I write for myself first, but I can easily edit scenes if it makes one of my readers uncomfortable. I think I'll just go with the flow of the scene, and if it happens to be detailed I'll give a warning. Thank you so much for the extra long review, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

 **shirohara:** I do love writing emotional scenes, both fluffy and sad. I'm so glad you look forward to reading the story! I'm pretty sure I have a similar expression every time I notice that I have a new review, because all of your kind words really do inspire me to keep writing. And you are helpful! I just don't want to make anyone uncomfortable when the time does come. Hmm, I'm leaning towards the opposites attract idea too. Mostly because I like balance but also for the entertainment factor. Thank you for the review!

 **exhia529:** It's okay if you do a little comparison; I'm doing all of the comparisons as I write. I wanted Rei and Raizen to be closer in this story, and I wanted them to believe they were human to set up Reigan's later guilt and how the temple came to be. One of my biggest pet peeves about LWIYF is Raygan's celibacy. (Can I have a pet peeve about my own story?) So I wanted to change that. And I explained why I decided to make Rei Shizuru and Kuwabara's mother, so a human was the logical choice. I also didn't want him to be a demon and have some kind of weird love triangle later on. (That would be a repeat of the Yomi-Ray-Hiei thing, and I wanted to avoid that.) Haha, telling the past was a tease, but I wanted to set it up differently than I did in LWIYF. The past was slowly stretched out in the last story, but I didn't want that in this one. I wanted something quicker, so that I could get to the more fun parts. Your expectations will be fulfilled! There's going to be plenty of Rei and Hiei scenes, and I'm going to slowly build their relationship up. So there's going to be actual interactions in this story! Not just violent ones either. There's going to be talking and feelings and the whole shebang. Oh God…I just tried to picture Genkai with Tamaki, and it was just too funny. I think Genkai would come smack me if I did that to her though, but you're close to the mark! You know I prefer emotional scenes to action ones, so you don't have to worry about that. Thank you for the review!


	9. Fate's Funny Like That

**Author's Note:** I promised I would update on Monday, so here is the promised update! (For those of you who waited until Monday to check for an update, I also updated last Wednesday because I have poor self-control. So make sure you read Chapter Eight before reading this one, or it might be a little confusing since this chapter picks up immediately after that one.)

My plan is to update again next Monday, but there's a possibility I might update earlier. Who knows? I surely don't. I am still writing ahead though, so updates should at least be regular for a while. Speaking of writing ahead, I'm also thinking of looking for a beta reader to help me keep my ideas straight. If anyone is interested, please send me a message!

Thank you, as always, to everyone who is reading! I hope you enjoy the update, and I've replied to reviews down below!

 **Post Date:** 08 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 6140

* * *

 **Chapter Nine  
** **Fate's Funny Like That**

"Hey, Hiei." It's dark outside, but Yusuke can see the fire demon's outline. He's sitting on the porch railing, one leg pulled up and the other hanging over the far side, and he didn't say anything. Just let out a quiet grunt. Hiei's a little better about talking now, unless he's just not in the mood. Yusuke must have caught him at a lucky time. "I'm going to ask you something."

"What?" He learned early on not to ask Hiei if he could ask him something, because the demon normally just gave him some kind of smartass remark. So less asking, more telling.

"Why were you glaring at Reigan at dinner? I thought you were better about trusting people now." Dinner had been…interesting. He and Kuwabara told the others what had happened, with only a few corrections from Botan. Genkai and Yukina had been quiet during the retelling, and Kurama only asked a few questions. The fox left about ten minutes ago though, along with Shizuru and Kuwabara. The two siblings just went to get some more clothes and other necessities, so they'll probably be back tonight. Kurama said he'd be back when he could. Then there's Hiei. He'd sat by Yukina and glared holes through Reigan the whole time, but his auntie didn't seem to notice or care.

"You trust too easily." Yusuke crossed his arms as he leaned back against the railing, and he turned his head just enough to see Hiei's face. He doesn't give much away with his facial expressions, but it's worth a shot.

"It's a weird situation, I know, but other people know her. Genkai, Shizuru, Koenma, Natsume, and Kujou. So do Raizen's other friends. And if she was a threat, don't you think she would have killed us by now?" That was what Yusuke had been afraid of to start with. That some demon was gonna pop out of the statue and start killing everyone in sight.

"She's still weak. If she was an S-Class before, her strength will return quickly. If you were smart, you'd kill her now." Okay, that made him tense up. Reigan slept for a couple of days so he's only really known her for a day now, but she's still family. She's Kuwabara and Shizuru's mother. Raizen's twin sister.

"She's family," Yusuke shrugged. Hiei should be able to understand that, right? He's really protective over Yukina, so Yusuke knows that he understands how family bonds work.

"Makes it even easier for her to stab you in the back." He wanted to get mad, he really did, but it's Hiei. It took the guy a year to trust him, so it'll probably take a while for him to adjust to having someone new around. "I'm going to Demon World."

"Okay. Want me to—"

"Yusuke, Reigan wants to know—Oh, hello, brother." Yukina paused to smile at Hiei, but Yusuke couldn't tell if Hiei smiled back before Yukina looked at him again. "Yusuke, Reigan wants to know if you can come to her room? She wants to show you something."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks for telling me, Yukina. See ya around, Hiei!" he called over his shoulder. He'll let the two say their goodbyes. The temple was quiet as he walked inside, and he didn't bump into Genkai as he made his way towards Reigan's room. The door was open and the light was on, so he knocked on the door frame as he stuck his head inside.

"Yusuke! Yukina found you then?" She was standing in front of the bookcase, the one that ran the entire length of one wall, and she's changed clothes. The jeans and tank top are gone, but her feet are still bare. The shorts she's wearing are pale yellow, and he can see the muscles in her legs because she's raised up on her toes to reach for something on the bookcase. The sweater she's wearing is a dark blue, and it's a baggy turtleneck.

"She did. Said you wanted to show me something?" There's a book in her hands, and she frowned at the front cover before rocking back up onto her toes to return it.

"She's such a sweet and helpful girl, isn't she? And I don't think I've ever eaten better." She rested one hand on her stomach as she said it, and there was a dreamy look on her face. At dinner, she probably packed away the most food. Which is saying something, because he and Kuwabara really know how to eat.

"Yukina's cooking is the best. Do you need some help?" She was straining to reach one of the top shelves, but the bookcase goes all the way up to the ceiling. There's no way that she can reach the top, but she's looking pretty determined.

"Help would be very appreciated. I've got it all in chronological order, but I moved this one before I was sealed. I think I…no, I know that I put it on the very top. Somewhere out of reach." The last sentence was whispered, and she wouldn't meet his eyes as he walked inside. She raised an arm and pointed to the top left corner, and even he had to balance carefully on his toes to reach what she wanted. While he was at it, he looked at the rest of the bookcase. All of the books were the exact same size, with names and dates scribbled on the binding.

"Do I even wanna know what this is?" He held the slim book in one hand, and he could clearly read the name and dates on the binding. _Atsuko Higurashi-Saito, 1952-1975_.

"It's nothing bad, I promise. Oh! One more!" She pointed again, this time the top right corner, and he pulled out a book nearly identical to the first. _Ryu Nomura, 985-1019_. Once he was holding both books, Reigan grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to the bed. The blanket was straightened, so someone must have made the bed. The futon he slept on hasn't moved though.

"Now will you tell me what's going on?" They're sitting on the bed, side-by-side, and Reigan's grin is starting to worry him a little. Her legs are pulled up under her so that she's sitting cross-legged, but he has his feet firmly planted on the ground. She reached over and grabbed one of the books, the second one that he grabbed, and her fingers carefully ran over the blank front cover.

"At first, I just wanted to show Raizen his family. He couldn't see them himself because he was worried about the temptation, but I wanted him to be able to _see_. Eventually it just became a habit. They're all there. Your ancestors and my priestesses." She looked at the bookcase again, and he followed her gaze. All of those books…all of them are his family, and the people that helped keep his family safe. There's so many of them, and she guarded them all. She watched them all die.

"So, who's this?" He tapped the book in her hands, because he knows whose book he's holding. She slowly opened it, and the first page was very simple.

"Ryu Nomura. Son of Raizen and Midoriko Nomura. Born in nine-eighty-five and died in ten-nineteen." She flipped the page, and a pair of eyes stared up at him. It took him a moment to look away and notice the rest of the picture, and it was good. The woman was sitting under a tree, one hand braced on her stomach, and looking out. The drawing was clearly old, but the woman's features were drawn perfectly.

"That was Raizen's...uh…what's the right word?"

"His human lover, Midoriko. She died after giving birth, so Ryu was raised by one of my priestesses. Satomi." The next page showed a much older woman holding a baby, and the older woman was smiling as she looked down at the sleeping baby. Page after page spanned Ryu's life. Reigan was able to capture his first steps, the day he met the woman he fell in love with, and him playing with his three children. Reigan told the stories that went with each picture as she flipped through, and Yusuke listened to her every word.

"And this one is my mom's?" Ryu's book was lying on the bed next to Reigan, and she slowly nodded her head. Yusuke slowly opened the front cover and looked down at the first page. It had his mom's name, her maiden name and her married name, and the day she was born.

"We don't have to look at it now if you don't want to. I just wanted you to know that it was here." It's been a very long day. He asked all those questions about his mom's past this morning, there was that weird meeting in Spirit World with Enma, and then he had that not-so-fun conversation with Hiei. He can wait to see this, but he doesn't want to.

"Drawings or photos?" he finally asked.

"Bit of both."

The very first picture was a drawing of a hospital room, and the angle looked like someone had drawn it while sitting outside of the window. There was a woman sitting up in the hospital bed with a baby in her arms, her husband was sitting next to her with his arms around her, and three young children were sitting at the foot of the bed. His mom's family. There was an actual photo of her standing outside, slightly leaning to one side, surrounded by party decorations. Her second birthday party. More photos. More drawings. The little girl in the pictures stopped smiling after her family was gone, but the smile came back when she was older. There was a picture of his mom ice skating, and she was holding hands with a guy close to her age. They were about the same height, and he had black hair and light brown eyes. In the photo, they were laughing.

"Is that…the wedding?" That's definitely his mom in a wedding dress, but he never saw his mom smile quite like that. She looked so young.

"Shizuru had to take the picture. I was crying too hard. I always cry at weddings." All of those books…she's probably been to a lot of weddings over the years, but she still cried at his mom's.

The next few photos were normal, everyday things. His mom cooking while his…that's his dad…sat at the kitchen table surrounded by papers. Grocery shopping. Going for a walk. After a few photos, Yusuke noticed the bump. In one drawing, his mom and dad were lying on their sides and facing each other. Their knees were touching, and they both had their hands pressed against her stomach. Their eyes were closed, but they were smiling. They looked so peaceful, so happy. He reached up to wipe away his tears before they could fall and ruin the drawing, and he felt Reigan lean against his side. She nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder as she touched the edge of the page, and he reached over to grab her hand.

"They were happy." He loves his mom, but he wishes he got to see her like this. Just once.

"They really were." The last picture was of Atsuko sitting alone on a park bench, and he almost couldn't tell that she was pregnant because of all the layers of clothes she was wearing. Still, she looked perfectly happy. He remembers that park. It's the same one where she took him to play.

"Thank you." His voice sounded a little rough, but Reigan didn't call him out on it. She just hugged his arm and hummed quietly for a minute.

"I know Atsuko couldn't handle pictures from the past after what happened to Raijin, so I thought you'd like to see them. You can keep it." He was tempted, but he couldn't. She's kept track of his ancestors for the past thousand years, so she should keep it.

"Only if I can keep it in here." He nodded back towards the bookcase, and her small smile told him that he'd made the right call.

 **.xXx.**

"I don't know, Sis, it's kinda late. Maybe we should wait until morning?" he whispered. The temple was dark and quiet, but Shizuru was determined to go see their mother. His mother.

"She's been waiting twenty years to see us again. Trust me, baby bro, she's awake." They dropped off their bags in their rooms, except for one small bag that Shizuru was still carrying. They turned a corner, and Kuwabara noticed that a light was still on. The door was open so that the light could spill out, and that's his ma's room. Shizuru looked over at him with her I-told-you-so face, and he rolled his eyes at her as they kept walking.

"You made it!" It was whispered, just loud enough for them to hear, because Yusuke is passed out on her bed. There's several books scattered around the two of them, and they all look alike. Weird. "Uh, how about the kitchen? I don't wanna wake him."

"I'll make us some tea." Shizuru darted off, but Kuwabara stayed standing in the doorway. Yusuke's head was in her lap, so she had to carefully ease out from under him to keep from waking him up. Once she was standing, she quickly piled the books into her arms and moved over to the bookcase.

"What are they?" He didn't even realize that he'd walked into the room to stand next to her until she looked up at him, and she smiled. It's a nice smile, and he doesn't even mind the fangs.

"I kept pictures of Raizen's descendants and my priestesses. I was showing Yusuke some of his more colorful ancestors." She laughed quietly as she said it, and he realized that she was looking at the bindings before placing the books on a shelf. Names and dates. There's so many of them.

"It must have been hard to look after all of them without them knowing." Kuwabara knows that he's saved people without them knowing it, but he doesn't know them. She knew them, knew everything about them, and they had no idea that she even existed. "You must have been lonely."

"Sometimes. I had my priestesses though, and I got to return to the Demon World once a year. Then there was Eiji." This time her smile was small and sad, and he didn't know what to say to her. He doesn't know anything about his father, except for the little bit that Shizuru has told him. Once all the books were put away, she grabbed another book and grabbed his wrist. She's a small little thing, but he let her pull him from the room. They were in the kitchen in no time, where Shizuru was already sitting with three cups of tea.

"Took you long enough," Shizuru said as they were sitting down. They're all sitting on one side, with their mother in the middle, and there's a few books on the table. Shizuru brought some of their photo albums from home, and then there's another one of the books from his ma's bookcase.

"I was cleaning up, and I had to grab this. Do you remember it?" Shizuru's fingers ran over the front cover, which had a drawing of a stick family. Four people.

"You." That was one of shorter stick people.

"Me." That was the shortest stick person.

"Father." That was the tallest stick person.

"And Genkai." That was the last stick person, still short.

"My little artist," Ma said when Shizuru was done. He's gotta remember to call her that now, Ma. She opened the front cover, and there was a picture of her and a man sitting on the temple steps. They were smiling, and he had an arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Is that my dad?" His ma smiled over at him, and she reached over to lace their fingers together.

"Yes, it is. This was taken about two weeks after we met, about two years before we actually got together, but I think we were already starting to fall in love. Your father was a hard man not to love," Ma said quietly. His dad was tall, he could tell that even though they were sitting down, and he does look like his dad. The same build, the same hair, and even the same facial features.

"I look like him." Ma's other hand came up to push back some of his hair, and her dark eyes were already starting to tear up a little. If the rest of the photo album is like this, they'll both be crying like babies before it's over.

"I knew that you were going to look like him from the first moment they put you in my arms, and I was right. Every year, you looked more and more like him. Except for your eyes." His eyes have always been dark, so dark that most people can't even tell what color they are, but they're blue. "My eyes. My father's eyes."

"I look like Father's mother," Shizuru said as the page turned. The photo was old, black and white, but the woman did look a lot like Shizuru. The man looked like him, but with darker hair, and the little boy resembled him so much that it could have been him in the photo.

"This was the only picture that Eiji had of his parents. They were killed when he was fourteen by a demon. He could have gone a different way after that, but your father was an honorable man. He enjoyed fighting, loved the thrill of it, but he only killed if there was no other choice. You take after him on that too," Ma said and let him look at the picture for a little longer.

A few of the stories were sad and made his ma tear up, but most of the pictures made her smile or laugh. She told the earlier stories; little moments between her and his dad, pictures of a younger Genkai usually glaring at the camera, and then there were pictures of Shizuru. He never saw any pictures of his sister growing up, except for the ones taken after he was born. Now he was getting to see her grow up. The day she was born, her first steps, riding on Eiji's shoulders, and there was even a drawing of her curled up in Raizen's lap and fast asleep. Shizuru started crying softly when she saw that one, because she knew Raizen. Knew him and loved him, but he's gone now.

"I know Uncle Raizen finally found peace, but I didn't even react when Yusuke said that he was dead. I didn't know who he was, so why should I care? I was sorry for Yusuke, but…he died, and I didn't even know who he was." He's so used to his sister being the strong one, so it's a little weird to see her crying on someone's shoulder.

"It's better that you didn't know. Now we can mourn together, because you don't have to be alone. Never again," Ma whispered.

"I didn't even know him." The words slipped out, because he was feeling a little awkward. Raizen was his uncle, but he didn't know him. It's hard to mourn for someone that you didn't even know.

"He knew I was pregnant the last time I visited him, and he apologized to me. Said it wasn't fair that I was going to have to leave my son for his, but I told him that it was okay. That I didn't regret my decision. He wanted you to know that he loved you, even though we both knew that he'd be dead before you learned the truth. He loved you, because we all have the same blood. Does that make sense?" Ma was looking up at him with wide eyes, and he slowly nodded. It does make sense, in its own weird way. It's like why Raizen cared about Yusuke, even though Yusuke was born a thousand years after his direct son.

"Yeah, it makes sense. Are there anymore pictures?" They're past the hallway mark of the book now, and he doesn't know if every page was used.

"A few more." Genkai and Shizuru meditating in the sunshine, Ma napping under a large lilac tree, his dad holding himself up on one hand while Ma and Shizuru cheered behind him…and then his dad wasn't in anymore pictures. There was some pictures of Ma as her stomach grew, but all of the faces in the pictures looked a little more subdued. Except for the last picture.

"When was this taken?" Ma was sitting under another lilac tree, but it was bare. Her back was against the trunk, and Shizuru was lying down between Ma's spread legs. Shizuru's head was pillowed on Ma's stomach, and she had one hand resting on the bundle in Ma's arms. They were both smiling, peacefully, and they looked completely unaware of everything around them.

"The day before Yusuke was born. I didn't even know Genkai had taken the picture until that night, when she gave it to me." Ma and Shizuru looked so content; it was impossible to tell that everything would be completely different in just one day's time. "I promise you, Kazuma, I would have chosen to stay with you if I'd had a choice."

"I know, Ma." All of this has been supremely weird, even weirder than finding out that demons were real, but there is one thing that he knows for sure. His ma loves him.

"I love you so much!" Ma cried out before wrapping her arms around his neck. His eyes widened as she started crying against his chest, and he looked to Shizuru for help. To his surprise, his sister was tearing up as well. She leaned forward so that her head was pressed between Ma's shoulder blades, and he felt her arms wrap around his back.

"She screamed before I took you from her arms, and she wouldn't stop crying as she promised to come back. She fought against the seal at the end, fought to stay with us…fought so hard that it caused a small earthquake." Ma shook even harder at that, and Shizuru tightened her hold on the both of them. "So I'm right. You tried to fight the seal."

"Yes." The answer was whispered, and she even sounded a little ashamed. "I knew that I had consented to the seal and that there was no way around it, but I had to try."

"I love you, Mother."

"I love you, Ma." It sounded like the right thing to say, and he saw Shizuru's smile. Earlier, when they were at home to get a few more things, she told him that he didn't have to push himself. She said that Ma would understand if he needed more time to work through everything, but he told her that he wasn't pushing himself. His whole life, he's always felt like there was someone out there watching over him. It wasn't a bad feeling. It was something warm and comforting. It's the same feeling he gets whenever Reigan looks at him. She's been with him his entire life, loving him, and he gets that she did what she had to do. It sucks, yeah, but he understands it.

"I have got to stop crying so much." Ma laughed as she pulled away from him, and she used the sleeves of her sweater to clean her face.

"Yeah, well, wait until you see the family videos." Kuwabara groaned as Shizuru laughed, because his sister has taken every opportunity to record his life. Pictures, videos, scrapbooks…huh, maybe she had a feeling that their ma would want to see it all someday.

"Videos?!" Ma looked so excited, so Kuwabara tried not to be embarrassed. Shizuru patted the bag on the table, and Ma clapped her hands. "I know Kai has a VCR around here somewhere. I want to see everything."

They moved into another room, where a TV and VCR was set up, and Ma pulled him down onto the floor to sit next to her. She flipped through a photo album while Shizuru worked on the VCR, and Kuwabara explained the story behind each picture. She said that she was able to watch him sometimes, but she mostly watched Yusuke. It makes sense, because she was his ancestors' guardian. She still knew a lot about him growing up, but she listened to every word he said with complete focus. Sometimes he'd look over and catch her wiping away tears, but she always just waved it off and asked him to keep going.

The real waterworks didn't start until Shizuru started playing the videos. Some of them were from when he was really little, like when he was just starting to walk and talk. Shizuru had recorded all of his birthday parties and every Christmas, and Ma reached out sometimes like she could push through the screen and touch the past. There were less videos once he became a teenager, which Shizuru apologized for. Ma told her not to worry about it, because she saw a lot of Kuwabara after he met Yusuke. She also said she never wanted to see the Dark Tournament again, and she admitted that she fought to get free again during the harder parts of the tournament. Ma and Shizuru both cried as they watched him graduate from high school, and he held still as they both hugged him and cried onto his shoulders. It was hard to be embarrassed when they were both so genuinely happy and proud.

"It's no big deal," he mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It is a big deal. My son is going to be a doctor." There was so much love and pride in her voice, and he's never going to stop blushing.

"A veterinarian. Not a doctor," he pointed out.

"Human doctor, animal doctor, same thing. My son is smart. As for my daughter…a writer, Shizuru? You never let me read your stories when you were little." They had money growing up, from what he thought was insurance and a trust fund, so Shizuru didn't have to get a job. She started writing as a hobby and eventually got published, because she's good. Really good.

"Because I was just writing the stories that you told me when I was little. My stories now are complete fiction." Ma rolled her eyes but kept smiling, and Kuwabara feels a little lighter. He's heard so many stories about his mother, but it's different actually spending time with her.

"Well, I expect to have a copy of your first book before the end of the week. And you need to return to school soon." She pointed at him as she said the last sentence, and it felt like his jaw came unhinged.

"But, I, you…we just…and I can…What about you?" He's almost done with his second year of college, but he can take some time off. He just found out that his mother is alive, so school can wait.

"I am going to stay here and recover my energy, and I'll probably annoy Kai while I'm at it. You're at the end of the school year, and you'll have a week off to spend with me. When you start back next month, I'll come visit you whenever you have free time. Then in July, when you get your summer break, you can come back here. You are not going to put your life on hold for me, Kazuma. We're going to move forward together." She held his hands as she said it, and Shizuru threw an arm around his shoulders.

"She's right, baby bro. You worked really hard to get into college, and you don't have to give it up." He did work hard to graduate and get into a college, especially after everything he went through at the Dark Tournament and with Sensui. Getting back on track hadn't been easy, but how can he go back to taking classes when knows that his ma is here?

"What about the seals?" That's another thing that's been on his mind for the past couple days. The scar on his left ankle isn't a scar at all; it's a magical seal that hides his demon energy, and it can be removed. Shizuru has one too.

"You have plenty of time to decide what to do about the seal. Your demon energy is sealed, yes, but your psychic energy isn't. Your psychic energy will slow your aging some now that you're in your prime, so you have time to decide if you want to live out your life as a human or remove the seal to become half-demon. Can I make a request?"

"Yeah, sure." Huh, so maybe Shizuru's psychic energy is why she hasn't seemed to age much over the years.

"Live out your life a little before making a decision. Finish college. Become a veterinarian. Maybe fall in love. I'm talking to you too, Shizuru. Live your lives for a little longer." She's holding one of his hands and one of Shizuru's now.

"Becoming a half-demon won't stop us from living our lives, Mother. It'll even give us more time together," Shizuru said quietly. Yusuke's a half-demon. His ma's a demon. His closest friends are demons. They're all going to live for a very long time, and he doesn't want to grow old and die before they even reach their prime.

"It'll make your lives more complicated. Just, think about it for a little while." Ma's eyes were wide and pleading, and Kuwabara looked over at Shizuru. Together, they slowly nodded and then looked back at their ma.

"We'll think about it," Kuwabara finally said. Ma smiled and leaned forward to wrap an arm around each of them, and he means it. He'll think about it.

"Alright, off to bed. We can talk more tomorrow." They all stood up together, and Ma took turns wishing him and Shizuru goodnight. Several tight hugs and light kisses later, he and Shizuru started walking to their rooms.

"She's just like you said," Kuwabara said quietly. Shizuru told him that their ma was warm and loving, which was a little different than the stories of the Mazoku demon that killed for centuries. For thousands of years. It's almost a little hard to picture her as a warrior. Almost, because he remembers the look in her eyes when Enma mentioned killing them. That look was pure murder.

"It's because she loves us," Shizuru shrugged. Like it was the simplest thing in the world, and it kinda is. Kuwabara called out a goodnight and then went to his room. It's been a really long day, and he could use the sleep.

 **.xXx.**

"You look horrible." Reigan laughed at the statement and turned her head to watch Genkai sit next to her. She's sitting outside on the temple steps, because she's not ready to go back to sleep yet. What if she doesn't wake up for another couple of days?

"And you look just as lovely as I remember." It was Genkai's turn to laugh, and Reigan was thankful that there was nothing nearby for Genkai to throw at her.

"I'm old, Rei, and only getting older. There were a few times when I thought I wouldn't live long enough to see you released." Reigan hummed at that, because Genkai has aged over the past twenty years. Genkai is going to be seventy-eight this year, and she's been through so much.

"I saw the Dark Tournament. Every single moment of it. I thought for sure you were a goner." Watching Toguro kill Genkai had been hard to watch, but it was nothing compared to being forced to watch her friend die in her nephew's arms.

"So did I. I have Koenma to thank for keeping me around."

"It's a good thing too, or I'd still be stuck in that statue." They both laughed at that, quiet and easy laughter, and Reigan leaned back so that her elbows were braced against the porch.

"I blamed you for their deaths for a long time, but I know better now. You were only allowed one day out of the year to actually speak to your own blood, so how could you know that demons were planning on killing my family that very same day?" Sango, Hanako, Yuriko…the last of her priestesses.

"Before leaving for the Human World, I always went to my lilac tree. I'd sit under the fresh blooms and meditate; I'd focus my sight on my priestesses, to see if there was any danger approaching. A few times I was able to tell that something would happen in my absence, and I would remain in Human World instead. Raizen always understood, and I was able to save my priestesses or a member of their family. I did the same thing the morning that they died, and I saw nothing. Just their usual routine. I felt no danger, so I left."

"The attack wasn't planned." She knows the conversation isn't easy for Genkai, but it's a conversation that they should have had a long time ago.

"No, I don't think it was. I can only see what's planned. I think the demons were just passing through when they felt their strength and decided to attack them. Returning to find them dead…I lost myself for a bit. I tracked down the demons, all eight of them, and killed them. Slowly. Fed on them and made sure that their spirits would not move on."

"Is that why demons feed on humans? To consume their spirits?"

"For most demons, yes. You have to consume the human to consume their spirit; flesh, blood, and bone. The power of a human spirit…it's intoxicating. Demon spirits don't pack the same punch." She grinned as she said it, to flash her fangs, and Genkai hummed quietly.

"You ate them as punishment, for killing your priestesses."

"For killing my family," Reigan corrected. "I guarded Raizen's bloodline but didn't make contact, because I was afraid that watching them die generation after generation would drive me crazy. Yet, despite that, my priestesses became my family. I watched them grow, love, and die. Over and over. Still, I couldn't stop caring for them. I loved your mother and father, loved your sisters, and I love you too. Even if you're not one of my priestesses."

"I'm not so sure about that sometimes. I did make your nephew my apprentice." Genkai crossed her arms before looking over at her, and Reigan resisted the urge to reach out to her. She was there when Genkai was born, held her hands as she learned to walk, and told her bedtime stories.

"Fate's funny like that." Genkai knew that Atsuko's last name was Saito and that her maiden name was Higurashi, so she had no reason to believe that Yusuke Urameshi was Raizen's descendant. Reigan asked Genkai not to look after Atsuko once she was sealed away, and the psychic did as she asked. So she didn't know that Atsuko changed their names. Fate really does have a sense of humor.

"I forgave you a long time ago for what happened to them, Reigan. I want you to know that." Yeah, well, Reigan still blames herself. She'll never get the image of their lifeless bodies out of her mind, and she'll never tell Genkai that Sango had still been alive when she reached the temple. Fading fast but still breathing. Sango had used her last words to forgive her and to beg her to watch after her youngest daughter, and Reigan had roared when her heart stopped beating. Killing the demons that took away her priestesses had been easy, even with her weakened energy, because of her rage.

"You're talking like you're dying or something, Genkai."

"I'm not getting any younger."

"Forever, Kai, remember?"

"Humph, we'll see about that. Now go to bed before you pass out on my porch."

They walked into the temple together, and Reigan called out a quiet goodnight as they went their separate ways. The light was still on in her room, and she leaned against the doorway as she smiled at her nephew. Yusuke was stretched out on the small bed, with one arm and both feet hanging off the sides, and he was snoring quietly with his mouth wide open. It's almost like looking at Raizen again. The only difference is that Raizen snored louder. She grabbed another blanket out of the closet to cover him up with, and she stretched before lying down on the futon on the floor. Sleep does sound nice, and she'll wake up tomorrow. She will.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** Family feels! Remember, one of the genres of this story is family, and family plays a giant role in this story. Also, I apparently like making my characters cry. I promise that there will be happy times soon. Now, as for demons eating humans for their spirit…I made that up. I was thinking about why Mukuro and Yomi wanted to eat humans so bad and why not eating made Raizen so weak, and that's what I came up with. The power doesn't come from the human, per se, but from the human's spirit. If there's any questions about that, I'd be happy to attempt to explain better!

For those of you who missed Hiei, he will be in the next chapter! He's going to be around quite a bit after this chapter actually, because this is a Hiei story. But, because I'm in a good mood, here's a small teaser from the beginning of the next chapter!

* * *

" _I wasn't expecting you back so soon." Hiei let his eyes flick around the room before settling on Mukuro, who was sprawled back in her favorite cushioned chair. She's moved back to the palace since the end of the last Demon World tournament, but the palace is just as dark and drafty as the giant moving bug had been._

" _I need information on someone." Mukuro was slowly chewing on a piece of fruit, so she just raised a brow at him. It was her way of telling him to continue. "Raizen's sister."_

* * *

 **FireStorm1991:** I feel like this wouldn't truly be a Hiei story if Hiei wasn't rude to start out with. Hiei and Kuwabara…they're still at odds, but they're not as hateful towards each other as they used to be. Still, writing for them has been a lot of fun so I hope readers like how I portrayed them. I just can't see Yusuke and Kuwabara hugging and crying over being long-lost family members, but I can see them fighting and laughing about it. (PS: I promise that I am going to reply to your message soon. Probably tomorrow.) Thank you for the review!

 **shirohara:** Well, I write for myself, mostly. It's my story and my ideas, but I write for my readers too. Especially the ones that have stuck with me over the years. And I can easily just not write those scenes in extreme details if it makes someone uncomfortable. Haha, I've already got some Genkai scenes planned that I'm just dying to write. It's going to be pretty funny. Thank you for the review!

 **Nyxiana:** You're reading the new story! I've missed you! (I still have your story bookmarked and get alerts when you update. You should yell at me to remind me to read and review; it's about the only way I get things done. lol.) I wouldn't call myself a mastermind, but I do love writing the feels. I'm so glad you've been enjoying the story! Yeah, I got the idea to write this story to make up for the mistakes in LWIYF. At least what I think the mistakes are. Like Hiei and Reigan interacting! It's been a lot of fun to write so far, so I'm happy that you're reading. Thank you for the review!

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** You're welcome! I didn't plan to update early last time, but I have really bad self-control. Seeing so many reviews, reading so much niceness, just made me want to update faster. So I did. Haha, I'm not that creative. Anger and paranoia because of love is an old cliché, and I'm not afraid to write the clichés. (I kind of prefer them actually.) Those scenes are probably going to be mixed, depending on the current mood of the story and my own personal mood. Thank you for the review!

 **silentworld11:** By all means, keep writing your story in the reviews! Because I am loving it. I also agree that brown eyes are the best; I always wanted brown eyes growing up, but I wound up with hazel eyes that have a tendency to turn green. I can definitely see Genkai with someone like that though, especially after Toguro. Can I use your ideas to write a one shot for Genkai? Or just a quick little story? I'll give you credit and everything. Hiei was absent a lot during LWIYF, but he's going to be in this story a lot more. I just started work on Chapter 20, and writing Hiei is fun. He's more physical and sarcastic than the others, and that's always fun to write because I'm not a very sarcastic person usually. You're welcome for the early update, and I'll be looking forward to your storied review! Thank you for this review!

 **bubbles22293:** I'm glad you like the post dates! I decided to put them up mostly to remind myself to update regularly, but I'm glad they're helping you too! I also hope you're liking the story? Thank you for the review!

 **exhia529:** It's okay! I gave a date and then updated early without warning, so that's on me. Yeah, I didn't want that constant worry of Enma trying to kill them all. They need to be drama-free. (At least for a little while.) This is kind of like my twist on the whole soulmate thing. Now Rei and Hiei both know that they're supposed to have a future together, supposedly, but it's not love at first sight. I love the Jagan so much, you have no idea, so it'll pop up randomly. Hopefully this story will be as thrilling as LWIYF, or even more so! Some scenes make me a little weepy or sigh, but I'm a horribly emotional person and a little biased. Haha, and I don't think I'm allowed to get mad at you for promoting my work. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** I think I'm pretty good at making things up on the spot. I had a lot of practice during LWIYF. Shikaku is going to show up a little here and there, but she plays a really big role in the story later on. Much later on. (This story might wind up being pretty long. I'm working on Chapter 20, and I think that might be the halfway mark. Possibly.) More Hiei is coming up though, and that's going to be fun. I'll let you know if I get enough time to watch Assassination Classroom, because it looks very…interesting. As for Genkai, you'll have to wait and see! Thank you for the review!


	10. And So It Began

**Author's Note:** Clearly I can't stick to my own updating schedule, but for once it's because I'm updating early instead of late! This is a big milestone for me. So if you read this story regularly, I'd suggest at least following it so that you can get alerts. I'm thinking of updating on Mondays and Thursdays, but I'm not making any promises. (Except for Mondays. I'll keep updating on Mondays.)

I'm updating now because I have officially mapped the rest of the story! Well, mostly. One of the things I wanted to change in this story was well-written "Bad Guys," which was lacking in my first story. I've created a full backstory for them that I'm excited about (many chapters down the road), so now I'm trying to decide how to do things. I can either write out all of the many years to come, full of fun and fluffy moments, or I can reduce those moments to a few chapters and make it to the action faster. Any preferences?

 **Post Date:** 11 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 4985

* * *

 **Chapter Ten  
** **And So It Began**

"I wasn't expecting you back so soon." Hiei let his eyes flick around the room before settling on Mukuro, who was sprawled back in her favorite cushioned chair. She's moved back to the palace since the end of the last Demon World tournament, but the palace is just as dark and drafty as the giant moving bug had been.

"I need information on someone." Mukuro was slowly chewing on a piece of fruit, so she just raised a brow at him. It was her way of telling him to continue. "Raizen's sister."

"Why do you need information on Lady Tourin?" That's a title that he's only heard whispers of; he didn't know it was about her.

"Humor me." Mukuro laughed quietly as she took another bite, and Hiei fought the urge to pace as he waited for her to speak. After a few moments, she swallowed and then licked the juice from her fingers.

"Her real name was Reigan. She was an S-Class Mazoku demon, like Raizen, but she wasn't as strong as him. I don't think anyone could ever match Raizen, but she could hold her own. I only saw her fight a few times, but I saw enough to know that I did not want her as an enemy."

"I thought you didn't have friends." The Mukuro that he knows is more relaxed than the stories that he's heard, but he knows that she was ruthless. Cold. Unemotional.

"I didn't. She tried a few times, but I never allowed her to get too close. She was a seer, and I believe that she knew what happened to me. She never pitied me, she merely…understood me. So I kept my distance from her. Seers can be dangerous." Mukuro said that he was the only one that she ever told about her past, but Reigan knows what happened to her too. Because she saw it.

"She was dangerous?" The distant look in Mukuro's eyes faded, and she shook her head.

"Only if she was provoked. She acted as Raizen's second in command, almost like a diplomat. She helped keep the balance."

"What happened to her?" He wasn't expecting Mukuro to speak so favorably towards the other Mazoku demon.

"No one knows for sure, but there were rumors. The most popular rumor is that she was killed a thousand years ago, and that's why Raizen stopped eating. After becoming an S-Class, Reigan only fed on demons. Never on humans. So the rumor was that Raizen stopped eating to honor her memory. That he died to be with her." Natsume and Kujou told the truth. Most of Demon World does believe that she's dead.

"What if I told you that she was alive?"

"It would be very welcome news. Is she?" When Hiei nodded, Mukuro smiled and pointed to the chair across from hers. "Sit and tell me everything."

 **.xXx.**

"I feel like I got ran over by a truck. Carrying elephants," Reigan groaned and slumped down against the kitchen table.

"You should have woken me up instead of sleeping on that old futon," Yusuke said and crossed his arms. She twisted around so that she was facing him and lazily flapped a hand against his arm.

"I'm not sore because of the futon. I think I'm sore because I'm not used to feeling my physical body." It's a weird thing to think, even weirder to say out loud, but she's pretty sure that she's right.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Kazuma asked her.

"It's probably just your energy trying to return. I can feel it a little more now," Shizuru said and smiled down at her. Huh, her daughter does have a good point. She still feels weak, possibly even weaker than when she thought she was human, but her energy is trying to build itself back up. Very slowly.

"We should meditate later and see if we can hurry the process along," Genkai said and sat down at the table. Meditating wouldn't hurt.

"Can we do it tomorrow?" She sat up fully as she asked the question, and she could feel all the different eyes on her.

"Why wait?" Everyone was looking at her, including Yukina who had just walked in, and Reigan smiled.

"Well, I still have plenty of money saved up, so I thought we could go shopping. My clothes are horribly outdated." Shizuru laughed while Yusuke and Kuwabara groaned, and Genkai just huffed before shaking her head. Yeah, she wasn't expecting the older psychic to tag along. She's still gonna make sure to buy her something though.

"I'll make you some snacks to take with you," Yukina said quietly and started to get up.

"Wait! You don't want to come with us?" The ice maiden's eyes widened just a little, and Reigan realized that they were a little lighter than her brother's. More of a pretty cherry color.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," she said quietly. If things turn out the way that Reigan plans, this quiet little demon is going to be her sister-in-law one day. There's no time like the present to start bonding.

"You're a part of the family too, so it's not an intrusion. Please come with us?" she asked.

"Yeah, Yukina! It'll be fun!" Kazuma added. Things might not have worked out between the two, but they're still close friends.

"It would be nice to get out for a little while. I'll go get our snacks together." The ice maiden smiled at them before turning back towards the actual kitchen, and Reigan relaxed just a little. She's seen Yukina a little over the past several years, and she genuinely likes the sweet demon.

"I'll call Botan. She'll have a fit if she finds out we went shopping without her," Shizuru said and pulled out a phone. A cell phone. Technology never ceases to amaze her. "If that's okay?"

"Of course! The more the merrier," she said and grinned. Botan has helped all of them out over the years, cheered and supported them, so she doesn't mind if the reaper comes with them. They've all become a family, which means that she's a part of her family too.

"Good luck," was all Genkai said as high-pitched screams came out of Shizuru's phone. At least today will be interesting.

 **.xXx.**

"Alive, this whole time. I'm sure Enki and the others will be overjoyed at the news." Mukuro had listened to the story without any interruptions, and she looked thoughtful now. He'd kept the story simple, but he told her all of the facts.

"You really think she can be trusted?" He doesn't trust this unknown demon, but he has learned to trust Mukuro.

"I do. Reigan has never desired power. If she wanted to be a ruler, she could have taken Alaric before I got here or Gandara at any time." His confusion must have shown on his face somehow, because Mukuro smiled before continuing. "She might not have been the strongest, physically, of the S-Class, but she had other kinds of strengths. Has other kinds of strength."

"But she's not a threat?"

"No, she's not a threat. Reigan has always cared more for her family than for power. I imagine she'll want to spend time with her children, her nephew, and possibly her old friends here. Reigan only fights when she has no choice." Mukuro sounds like she knows a lot about this demon but still claims that they were not close. It doesn't make sense to him, but he believes Mukuro. If she says that they don't have to worry about her, then he won't worry.

"Then I will—" He was cut off as a loud beeping filled the air, and Mukuro growled quietly as she got to her feet. The beeping was coming from a small circular object on her desk, and it continued to beep as she held it in her hand.

"This is something that one of Yomi's scientists designed for King Enki. It will transport us directly to him, but it takes a lot of energy to do so. I will not be able to use it again for a week. It's meant to only be used in times of emergency, so the summons cannot be ignored. Would you like to come with me?" The thing is still beeping, louder now, and Hiei quickly thought it over. If it's meant to only be used for emergencies, something must have happened.

"How many people have one?" he asked as he walked over to her.

"Only the demon lords." So it's just her, Yomi, and Hokushin since Yusuke is currently living in the Human World.

"I'll go with you."

 **.xXx.**

"Oh, Rei, that dress looks beautiful on you! Yukina, try this one!" Botan was flitting around the clothing store like a hyperactive butterfly, and Reigan almost felt sorry for Yukina. Shizuru was in one of the dressing rooms, trying on something that Botan had thrown at her earlier, and Yusuke and Kazuma had snuck off about twenty minutes ago.

"It is a lovely color." She slowly turned around at the sound of the voice and smiled as she looked up into bright green eyes.

"Because it matches my eyes?" The dark blue dress had thin straps and dipped low enough in the front to show the marking on her chest, and it was a little bit tighter than the clothes that she normally wore. A little shorter than her usual dresses too. It stopped well above her knees.

"I like the flowers." The flowers are white daises and lightly dot the fabric, and there's a thin brown braided belt that goes around her waist.

"That makes more sense. What brings you here, Kurama?" She briefly saw him when she came out of the statue and then again at dinner last night, but they haven't really talked. They don't really have much to talk about.

"Shopping for my mother's birthday. I thought I heard Botan and decided to check." Speaking of the reaper, she's currently piling pretty sundresses into Yukina's arms. Maybe Reigan should go save the ice maiden?

"The girl really does love to shop. So you think I should keep this one?" She only met Yoko once, and she knows that the person standing in front of her isn't Yoko. There's a part of that demon in him, but he's someone different now. Someone new.

"The belt doesn't look sturdy enough to hold any weapons, but you look good in it." She laughed out loud at that, because it's been a while since she carried one of her weapons on her belt.

"Such a flatterer. I guess I'll keep this one. Now, why don't you say what's really on your mind?" The dressing room door closed behind her, and Kurama leaned up against the wall next to the closed door.

"I don't really have anything to say. I only did one job for you, and it was a job that was beneficial for both of us. I guess you already knew that." She pulled the dress over her head and placed it back onto a hanger, and she picked up the next dress that Botan had chosen. This one was a deep purple color and soft to the touch.

"I didn't, actually. I just knew you could get what I wanted. Shikaku knew that Khanna had stolen from you, not me." The dress went on easily, but she couldn't reach the zipper in the back. She stepped out of the dressing room and turned her back to Kurama, and the fox demon stepped forward.

"Yomi told me the truth. You told him your plan and never kept him in the dungeon. The two of you spent the time talking and laughing; he told me it was one of his happiest memories. It was the first time he ever got to truly relax, to feel safe." Kurama quickly pulled up the zipper on her dress, and she moved over to the mirror to take a look. The dress was more like wearing a really long sweater, tight at the top and then flared around her thighs. It also covered the front of her throat, so Botan must have noticed that she wanted to keep the collar around her neck covered up.

"It's because he had nothing to fear while he was in the palace. Do you think that's why he wanted a palace of his own?" She looked up into Kurama's eyes as she asked it, but she can't read the look in them. Kurama might have changed since being born into a human body, but he still knows how to hide himself.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him."

"What do you think of this one?" Kurama ran his eyes over her, assessing without any kind of heat, and his head tilted to the side just a little.

"It could use a belt." Her laugh was so loud that it startled the customers around them, but Kurama didn't seem to mind. He even helped her find a belt that would match the dress perfectly.

 **.xXx.**

"Mukuro! You brought your second with you?" Enki's voice echoed in the large room, looks like a meeting room, and the device in his hand was bigger than Mukuro's.

"If there is an emergency, his presence might be needed." Mukuro stuffed the device into her pocket once she was finished talking, and Hiei looked around the room. It looks like they're the first to arrive.

"You idiot! I told you they'd think it was something important!" Kokou landed a kick to the back of Enki's head before landing gracefully next to him, and Enki reached up to rub the spot.

"It is something important!" Enki countered.

"Is it about Reigan?" Mukuro asked. Enki's eyes widened, and Kokou huffed before taking a long drink from the bottle attached to her wrist.

"Ding-dong, the bitch isn't dead," Kokou slurred.

"Kokou." Enki's growl was a warning, and Hiei looked at the current Queen. She's the first person to say something negative about the woman.

"What? We argued for over two thousand years, and she let him die. I can call her whatever I want," Kokou said and pointed up at Enki.

"We all know that no one ever let Raizen do anything. Raizen chose to die. If Reigan could have changed his mind, she would have." The voice came from behind them, and Souketsu walked in. He didn't seem fazed by the Queen's angry glare, but that's probably because he's gotten used to it over the years. "Why are we talking about this anyway? They're dead, and we should leave them in peace."

"He's right. The past should stay in the past," Yomi said as he walked in next. Kurama said that Yomi only met the woman once, and he fought against Raizen for years. Why should Yomi care? A few more of Raizen's old friends came in, the ones that were still around, and Natsume and Kujou came in last. They're the only ones still alive that knew Reigan and Raizen.

Hiei moved over to an open window and sat down as Enki told everyone about Reigan, and he watched the various reactions. Raizen's old friends were shocked at the news at first, but that quickly turned into joy. They were happy that she was still alive, and they all took turns asking Natsume and Kujou about her. She'd only been conscious for a minute while they were there, but her old friends listened to every word with wide smiles. Enki explained that he'd spoken with Enma about her, and that she was going to remain in the Human World until her strength fully returned. Once she was strong enough, she'd be able to return. Some of them talked about going to visit her, but they ultimately decided against it. It was Souketsu that said they should give her time with her family, and that she'd come to them when she was ready.

"A thousand years in the Human World. I never would have guessed," Shu said as they slowly started to leave the room.

"You knew, didn't you?" Mukuro waited to ask Hokushin until only the rulers were left, and Hiei straightened up to listen to his answer.

"I did. Raizen, and Reigan, both demanded complete secrecy. I did not know that the seal was broken, but I am happy to hear that my lady will soon return," Hokushin said and bowed his head. He's the oldest out of Raizen's army, so he's probably the only one that actually remembers the woman.

"Lady Tourin…I thought for sure she was dead. I never once sensed her energy," Yomi said quietly.

"I imagine you wouldn't have, not with the collar she's wearing," Mukuro said. Enki said something, but Hiei couldn't hear it. He went completely deaf before his sight left him, and he closed his eyes as he focused inward. Someone was trying to invade his mind, and succeeding.

" _My, my…you really are a stubborn one. I'm not going to hurt you, Hiei. I need your help." The voice was a quiet whisper at the back of his mind, and he felt the Jagan open. He could see her. Short, thin, pale. Silver hair hung around her angular face, and a single pale blue eye looked at him. Her other eye was covered by a black eyepatch._

" _Why would I help you?" Her black shorts are small, they stop at the top of her thighs, and her sleeveless white shirt has the top three buttons undone. One of her gloved hands rested on the hilt of the sword belted to her hips, and her other gloved hand was lightly touching the silver pendant hanging from the silver necklace. An eye. It looks like the one carved into Reigan's collar._

" _You know who I am. You've never met me, but you've heard of me. I need your help." Black gloves, black eyepatch, one pale blue eye…yes, he knows who this is._

" _Shikaku."_

" _That's me. Now, are you going to help me or not?" This is the seer that was once Raiden's second in command and later Raizen's._

" _Help you with what?" He'll humor her, for now._

" _For a thousand years, Reigan poured her energy into that collar at a constant pace. When she was sealed, the collar became dormant. She was sealed, so there was nothing to shield her energy from. The seal kept her weak. Now that she's free, her energy is going to start coming back. Faster than the collar can keep up with. She's going to become unstable. If the collar isn't removed, soon, her energy is going to rip her apart. You have to bring her here, somewhere secluded, and remove the collar."_

" _What's in it for me?" He has no ties to this woman. He knows that she is Yusuke's aunt and Kuwabara's mother, but she is nothing to him._

" _You mean besides saving the life of your future mate? And yes, I know all about that. So does the Jagan, if you'd just listen to it." At his blank stare, the woman huffed and crossed her arms under her chest. "If you won't do it for Reigan, do it for Yukina. When Reigan's energy becomes unstable, it'll explode. It'll kill her and everyone around her, including your sister."_

" _I'll bring her here." The raven demon smiled at him, and it was unsettling. There's too much knowledge in her smile._

" _Don't bring her too soon. Too soon and she'll be attacked before she can defend herself. Too late and everyone dies." Her pale blue eye had glazed over before she began speaking, but her gaze was clear now._

" _How will I know the right time?" He hates cryptic messages. Why can't people just say what they mean?_

" _A part of her energy will be passed on, and it will stabilize her just long enough for you to get her here. Don't fail her, Hiei." He wanted to tell her that he wasn't doing this for Reigan, but she faded away before he had the chance._

"Are you coming back with me, Hiei?" His eyes opened, and everyone in the room was looking at him.

"I'm returning to the Human World." Mukuro nodded at that and didn't question him, and Hiei followed her out of the room. It'll take about a day and a half for him to reach the portal to Human World, so he won't make it to Genkai's temple until tomorrow night. Hopefully that's enough time.

 **.xXx.**

"Remind me to never go shopping with you ever again," Yusuke huffed as they walked up the long staircase.

"Some of that is yours!" Botan shouted back to him. Yusuke and Kuwabara were carrying the most bags, but the girls were weighed down with quite a few bags of their own too. Kurama, the lucky bastard, had gone home after the shopping trip was over.

"Just think of it as training!" Reigan called up to him. She was walking at the end of their single file line, and Yusuke's starting to get just a little bit worried about her. Yeah, she spent most of their day laughing and smiling, but she's looking pale. He's pretty sure he noticed her hands shaking when they ate lunch earlier, but he didn't call her out on it. She's only been conscious for two days now; it'll probably take some time for her to go back to normal.

Once they reached the temple, everyone went their separate ways to put their bags away. Yusuke had taken some of his own money, but Reigan insisted on paying for everything. Apparently she's been hoarding money for the past thousand years, so she had plenty to share. She bought them all kinds of things, just to make them happy, and it was a good feeling. Knowing that there was someone that bought him things just to make him smile. He doesn't want to make a habit of it though. They all navigated back towards the kitchen when they had everything put away, and the kitchen table was covered with various dishes. Unsurprisingly, Reigan and Kuwabara were already at the table and eating. Genkai was sitting down as well, but she wasn't eating yet.

"Try to save some for everyone else, would ya?" he asked as he sat down. Reigan and Kuwabara looked at him with matching grins, it was a little eerie, and continued to eat. Everyone else joined them soon enough, except for Kurama and Hiei.

"So, about tomorrow." He's not even sure how Reigan is speaking; his auntie should be in a food coma by now.

"What about it?" Botan asked. Her eyes were sparkling, like she was preparing for another big outing. Reigan briefly smiled over at Botan before turning her eyes on Kuwabara.

"Tomorrow, you are returning to school. Just for the rest of the month and then you can come back here, if it's okay with Kai?" Reigan looked over at Genkai as she asked it, and Genkai raised an eyebrow as she sipped at her tea.

"I assumed all of you were moving in," was the psychic's answer.

"All of us all of us?" Kuwabara asked.

"Yes, all of you. Unless Shizuru and Yusuke would prefer to stay somewhere else?" He and Shizuru were quick to assure Genkai and Reigan that there was nowhere else they'd want to stay, and it was quickly decided. "Botan, I've set up a room for you as well, for when you're here."

"Thank you, Master Genkai! I'll go check in with Koenma right now!" The reaper danced off to her room, literally, and she returned a minute later in her usual pink kimono. He knows that her actual physical body is in her room, and he'll never get over how weird that is. "Be back as soon as I can!"

"Me and Yusuke can take the train with you tomorrow. It'll probably take a few days to pack everything up," Shizuru said and glanced over at him. He's been slowly packing up his house since his mom passed, but it'll take him some time to pack up his own things. He's also gotta sell all of his furniture and stuff.

"Yeah, should only take a few days," he said and smiled over at Reigan.

"Sounds good to me. Gives me and Kai plenty of time to meditate." Genkai huffed at that, but it didn't dim Reigan's smile at all. "I know! Let's watch a movie before bed! I'm sure something good has come out in the past twenty years."

An immediate argument started up about which movie to watch, mostly between him and Kuwabara, and everything felt so…normal. Like they really were just any other family.

 **.xXx.**

"You're going to spoil them," Kai said quietly. They're sitting outside on the temple steps again, because everyone else has gone to bed. They need to get up early tomorrow so that they can catch the train, but she can stay awake for just a little bit longer.

"They needed that. I only bought the necessities." Kai huffed at that, because they both know that she's lying. Reigan bought them pretty much anything that their eyes landed on, but not because she wanted to spoil them. "They've all been through so much. They deserve nice things."

"At least it was mostly clothes. Enma knows they go through those pretty fast." That they do. Between all the fighting and their general rough nature, the boys do go through clothes faster than most people.

"I got you a little something too." Faded honey eyes glared over at her, but Reigan couldn't stop smiling. She dug around in the pockets of her pants until she pulled out two silver rings, just on the side of not being too large, and laid them flat on her palm.

"You're not exactly my type." Reigan's laugh was low and rough, and she raised her palm up higher so that Genkai could see the ring fully. The band itself was silver, and there was a mountain range engraved all the way around it. In the center of the ring, between the dip of two mountain peaks, was a shining sapphire.

"Mount Aoyama. I got one for me too." She slid the other, identical, ring onto the middle finger of her left hand and held her other hand out towards Genkai. The older psychic carefully picked the ring up and held it in the air to study it, and Reigan could tell that her friend was fighting down a smile.

"Mount Aoyama," Genkai whispered and slipped the ring onto the same finger Reigan had. They both have small hands, which made the rings look even bigger than they actually were, but Reigan likes them. It's a symbol of everything they've been through. "You really are too sentimental."

"Well, it was either the ring or another tea set. You tend to throw the tea sets, at my head, so I went with the rings. I think the sapphires are pretty, don't you?" The single stone glittered in the moonlight, like the mountain north of them.

"Pretty enough. Go to bed, Rei. We'll start meditating as soon as everyone leaves tomorrow." Reigan groaned at that, which only made Genkai smile, and hefted herself up to her feet. She really is feeling sluggish, has been all day, so she's hoping that meditating will speed things along. She needs her energy to come back, now. She's too weak and vulnerable right now.

"Night, Kai."

 **.xXx.**

After several hugs and kisses, and hidden tears, Reigan said a temporary goodbye to her family. Kazuma needs to go back to school; he can only claim a family emergency for so long, and he doesn't need to get behind. Shizuru and Yusuke need to pack and get their possessions taken care of, and they'll be back in about a week. Maybe they can all go down and visit Kazuma the weekend after they return; a surprise visit to see her son sounds like a fun day, especially if she has her energy back by then. Waking up this morning had felt like fighting her way through mud. Everyone is gone now though, except for Genkai and Yukina. The ice maiden is currently in the gardens, which means it's just her and Kai.

"This way." Reigan snapped to attention at the sound of Kai's voice and started following after her on autopilot. The gardens span most of the length of the back of the temple, but they headed north. There's still some wooded areas to the north of the temple, but it's not as dense as the forest to the south of the temple. Plenty of greenery is still around before reaching the mountain though, like her favorite lilac tree.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered once they were standing in front of it. The tree looks a little bigger than she remembers, but the freshly bloomed white lilac flowers are the same. Such a light and sweet scent.

"I thought it would be better if we went somewhere familiar. Somewhere calming." Makes sense. She moved over to the tree and sat with her back to the trunk, and it almost felt like no time had passed at all. The bark was rough against her back, even through the thin material of the light blue button-up shirt she was wearing, but she couldn't feel the grass under her because of her dark green jeans. (Styles have really changed over the years, but she likes being able to mix her colors.)

"Thank you, Kai." The older psychic just huffed as she sat down in front of her, and their knees lightly touched. Reigan reached out at the same time that Genkai did, Reigan with her palms down and Genkai with her palms up, and they lightly grabbed each other's wrists. Within minutes, their eyes were closed and their breathing was in sync.

And so it began.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I really enjoyed this chapter, because it has some of my favorite people in it. Like Mukuro! As much as I love Kokou, Mukuro would definitely be my Queen. Just saying. There was a little bit of Shikaku too, and I had fun writing from Hiei's perspective. He's such an angry little thing. Then I got to picture Kurama shopping with all the girls and couldn't stop laughing. This was a fun chapter for me, so I hope it was for you too! One quick little thing about Botan, I remember reading somewhere that in the manga she had to leave her "physical" body so that she could fly on her oar back to Spirit World. Kinda makes me think of the soul reapers from Bleach. I thought it was a neat idea and decided to stick with it.

In the next chapter, Shikaku's little vision quest makes more sense. Also, possibly, a little Hiei/Rei bonding. Stay tuned! (I'll probably update Monday.)

 **FireStorm1991:** Haha, it wouldn't be a good story without the family feels! And I will reply to your next message soon. (Our messages are starting to get about as long as chapters. Maybe that's why my updating and replying schedule are about the same? lol) I love Mukuro, because I love strong female characters. If I didn't have an OC, I'd be completely okay with her and Hiei. Thank you for the review!

 **Nyxiana:** You did it exactly right! I just read the chapter about You-Know-Who's funeral, and I cried. No jokes. Straight up cried like I was actually there. And you call my stories emotional? You really know how to pluck a person's heartstrings! I understand long hiatuses (as you already know), so I'm glad that things are better and that you're back! I would have already reviewed your story, but I couldn't stop reading. I promise to leave a big review when I'm caught up. Thanks! I've tried to improve my writing over the years, so it's good to hear that there's some change. The old Raygan wasn't weepy because I wanted her to be strong, but I realized that strong people, strong women, can cry. And I'd be super weepy in Rei's position. Kuwabara is definitely in shock, but he's going to work through it. They all are, because it's kind of weird but in a good way. Yay for family! Haha, I love Kai. She'd probably hit me for the nickname, but it's worth it. I'm so glad you've liked the story so far, and thank you for the review!

 **silentworld11:** Aww, that's adorable! I've sent you a message about the possible oneshot, so check your inbox! Mmm, there's going to be lots of chapters like the last one. And this one. I don't really believe in "filler" chapters. If I'm taking the time to write it, it's important. Even if its only importance is to show some family bonding. The videos were not planned. The photo albums were, but then I thought about how my family obsessively records things like Christmas parties and little league games, and I could just see Shizuru doing that with little Kuwabara. (OMG! That would make the best epilogue! I looooove this idea more and more!) Thank you for the review!

 **Zayren Heart:** I'm glad you look forward to the updates! Like I said in the Author's Note, I can't really seem to keep to an updating schedule so always be on the lookout for an early update! And thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Don't cry! If you cry, I cry, and then we'll all be one big crying mess. (Oh God, it's LWIYF all over again. We have to stop doing this.) I do like writing the family moments. There's so much family bonding in this story, it's nearly ridiculous. Koto's going to show up a little, because I can't help myself, but I make no promises on pairings. (Things are heating up in Enough though, so now is the perfect time to catch up. I'm working on it more now that this story is written ahead.) I hope you enjoyed the early update, and thank you for the review!

 **backoff22:** I'm so happy that you like the story so far, and thank you for the review! (Also, I really love your icon. Adorable little Hiei is adorable.)


	11. To Just Let Go

**Author's Note:** It's Monday! It's a little later than my usual updates, but I've had a busy day. Speaking of which, I think I'm going to stick to just updating on Mondays. That way people will have plenty of time to read, I can learn how to stick to a schedule, and I'll be starting classes this week so that'll keep me busy. So, I will talk to you all again next Monday and I hope you enjoy the update!

 **Post Date:** 15 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 6800

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven  
** **To Just Let Go**

She has always been able to feel her own energy. Before, when she believed she was human, she could feel what she believed was her spirit energy. It filled up her soul and kept her strong, even when her body grew weak. As a demon, she fed her demon energy by devouring the spirits of others. First on other demons, then on humans, and finally on demons again. She combined the pale blue energy of Shikaku's with her own darker blue energy, empowered it, and pushed it. Pushed herself to grow stronger. Then, for a thousand years, she concealed her energy. Let the collar siphon it away, a little at a time, so that she could remain hidden. When she was sealed, her energy was sealed as well. She may have come out of the darkness, but her energy hasn't.

" _We are free now, and I will never lock us away like that again. Please, I need you. I need your strength."_

It could have been minutes or days, she's not sure how long she meditated before she felt that first spark of energy. The dark blue energy struck her like lightning, lashed out in anger, but she held still. Her inner demon is enraged, because she dared to put herself somewhere that she couldn't break out of. She was locked away where her energy meant nothing, where it was buried so deep inside of her that it got lost. It's time for her energy to return. They've spent enough time being helpless. She has spent enough time feeling helpless.

" _Return to me! Now!"_

Dark blue exploded behind her eyelids and completely wiped out the darkness, and her body locked up against the pain of it all. Her demonic energy is finally being released, but it's all too much. It's being released too fast, faster than she can keep up with, and it _burns_.

 **.xXx.**

"Brother!" Hiei held still as Yukina threw her arms around his neck, and he slowly raised his arms to rest them across her back. Yukina normally hugs him when he sees him, she has for the past two years, so he's become used to it. She pulled back from him a moment later, and he quickly looked her over.

"You look different." Her usual loose dress has been replaced with something completely different, and she blushed as she ran her hands down the front of the new dress. It's the same mint green color of her hair; the straps are wide but still show her shoulders, and the end of the dress stops just above her knees. There's a red ribbon that matches the ribbon in her hair wrapped around her waist, with a bow on the front. She's also wearing jewelry; tiny little snowflake earrings that hang down just below her ear lobes and a silver charm bracelet on her wrist. Snowflakes and little fires.

"Reigan took everyone shopping yesterday, and she insisted that I get things too. Clothes, shoes, jewelry, ribbons for my hair…she really was far too generous, but she bought just as much for everyone else. Do you like it?" She was looking down at the dress, and he wanted to tell her that it was inappropriate. Too tight and showed too much of her pale skin, but he couldn't. His sister is not a child, and she'd looked happy when she talked about shopping.

"You look lovely." Yukina beamed as she leaned forward to hug him again, so he knew he'd given the right answer. He's still going to have a talk with that Mazoku about buying so many things for his sister. "Where is everyone else?"

"Botan had to go back to the Spirit World for a little while, Kazuma returned to school, Shizuru and Yusuke are packing their things so they can move here, and Master Genkai and Reigan are meditating. They've been out there since after breakfast. Do you think they're okay?" It's dark outside now, which means that they've been meditating all day. It's a long time, but it's not unheard of.

"I'll go check on them." Yukina relaxed visibly at that and raised her clasped hands.

"I'll fix something to eat. I'm sure they're hungry, and you'll stay too, right?" Mukuro told him that he had no reason to return immediately, so he can spend some time with his sister. He also needs to keep a close eye on the Mazoku.

"I'll stay." Yukina smiled at him again, and she leaned forward to kiss his cheek before walking farther into the temple. Hiei turned back around and walked outside, and he let his senses expand. North. He really hopes that they're not at the statue. Just looking at that thing makes his stomach turn. (He can still see the woman from when the Jagan was being implanted; the way her flesh turned to stone before just disappearing.)

He was almost at the halfway point between the temple and the mountain when he first heard the screams, and he quickened his pace. They weren't at the statue or the mountain. Instead they were under a tree just before the trees stopped completely, and he could see Reigan thrashing on the ground. Genkai was kneeling next to her and trying to hold her still, but it was impossible. Her back arched as she clawed at the ground and kicked her legs, and dark blue demonic energy was sparking from her skin. It was like the raven demon warned him. Her energy was becoming unbalanced. Genkai looked up as he got closer, and he's sure that he's never seen the old psychic look this worried.

"We need to get her to the temple," Genkai said as he stopped next to them. His first instinct was to take her straight to the Demon World, far away from his sister, but the raven told him not to. He has to wait for some of her power to pass on, but he doesn't know what that means.

"I'll carry her." He could feel the heat rolling off of her even through her clothes as he picked her up in his arms, and she groaned as she curled up against him. She's feverish, because no one feels hot to him. Her hair was stuck to her head from sweat, and she was mumbling incoherently under her breath. He ran back to the temple as fast as he could, and he went straight to Reigan's room.

"Is she okay?" Yukina asked. His sister was standing in the doorway and looking worriedly at the bed, where Reigan was twisting from side to side.

"She will be," he promised. He just has to wait for the right time.

Genkai and Yukina checked on her a few times during the night, but they only stayed for a few minutes. Hiei opened her window to let in some cool air, and he carefully perched himself on the sill. He leaned against the window frame so that he was facing the bed and raised one leg to brace against the sill, and he watched the way that she writhed against the bed. She'd moved so much that her braid had nearly completely come undone, so her long blonde hair was spread out across the white sheets. The dark blue pillows and blanket had long since been pushed onto the floor. He could see dark patches on her light blue shirt from where she'd been sweating, and she looked completely drenched.

"No, Raizen, I won't do anything stupid. I'll be careful if you are," she groaned out. Dreaming or hallucinating? A few minutes later, she began to cry softly. Her hands were searching, clawing at the sheets, and her head thrashed from side to side. If she keeps this up, she's going to hurt herself.

"Why can't you just lie still?" he mumbled to himself. He slipped off the edge of the window and slowly approached the bed, and the mattress dipped a little under his weight. She rocked into the movement so that she could curl around him, and he felt his eyes widen as she plastered herself to him. Her cheek pressed against his knee, and her stomach pushed against his hip. He could feel her thighs braced against his back, and her arms came up to wrap around his thighs. Comfort. She's in pain and seeking comfort.

"I'm sorry I'm not strong enough." It was whimpered against his kneecap, and his hand hovered over the top of her head. He's a killer. Not someone that comforts.

"You are strong enough to survive this." Her tears were cool, a complete contrast to the heat of her skin, as he wiped them from her cheeks. His hand moved from the curve of her cheek and over to her hair, and he was surprised at how thick it was. He's only seen it held back in that braid, but it's really thick. A little rough, but that's probably from the sweat.

 _"She belongs to us."_ The voice was whispered, but he'd know it anywhere. The Jagan rarely speaks to him directly and never so clearly.

"She is nothing to us."

" _You can feel her power. Feel how strong she is. She will make us stronger. Make us better."_

"I will not take a mate just to increase my own power." It wasn't rare in the Demon World for two demons to mate just to become stronger, but the unions were usually…violent. It rarely ended well.

" _You're still too young to understand. Love is power."_ He scoffed at that and used the sleeve of his cloak to wipe the sweat from her face. She was shaking against him, and he could feel her nails biting into the skin of his thighs. Love…nothing good ever comes from such an emotion.

" _You love more than you know. She is ours."_

" _ **Mine."**_ The second voice was deeper, stronger, and he could feel a prickling sensation all over his right arm. The Dragon of the Darkness Flame was actually talking to him, because of her. His bandaged fingers stilled in her hair, and he looked down at his arm.

"I do not love her, and she is not ours." Her cheek nuzzled against his knee, and a quiet sigh slipped from between her lips as his fingers pressed against her scalp. He's only doing what needs to be done to keep Yukina safe. That is all.

" _You will see. You will look into her eyes, and you will know. She is yours, and we are hers."_

"You're wrong." The voices went quiet after that, and he didn't move away. Just continued to run his fingers through her long hair in an effort to keep her still, and he carefully monitored the regular spikes of energy that came from her.

Hours later, after the sun had risen, her eyes opened. The dark blue color was hazy, unfocused, and her fingers clenched against his thigh. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and with who, and she twisted her head to look up at him in confusion. He's confused himself. He agreed to get her to the Demon World when the time was right, but he can't get the raven's words out of his head. The raven said that Reigan was his future mate, Reigan said that they were meant to be together, and even his Jagan showed him a vision of Reigan. The Jagan and the Dragon both claimed her, but he hasn't. He's not going to claim her as a mate because _destiny_ says so. He decides his life and that's final.

"You stayed with me?" She tried to push herself up, but a ripple of dark blue energy pushed her back down. She cried out at the force of it, and Hiei heard footsteps rushing towards them.

"For now," he said as he moved away from her. He was sitting back in the open window when Genkai and Yukina moved into the room, and both females immediately went to Reigan's bedside.

"I'm fine, really," Reigan husked out. She sounded terrible, but it was nothing compared to the way she looked. She was covered in sweat, both stale and fresh, and her tanned skin was pale.

"You look like shit. Yukina, can you bring her something light to eat? I'll clean her up." Yukina nodded and quickly moved out of the room, and Genkai cut her eyes over at him. He raised a brow at the older woman as he jumped to the ground, and he walked out into the hallway. Genkai came out a few minutes later, and she crossed her arms when she noticed that he was sitting on the floor with his back leaned up against the opposite wall. "Do I even want to know why you're suddenly guarding her?"

"Something a little bird told me." He expected Genkai to question him, but she didn't. Just walked off. When she returned a few minutes later, she had a bucket of water with a sponge inside of it and a towel thrown over her shoulder. The bedroom door was closed behind her, and Hiei closed his eyes as he waited.

Yukina entered the room about twenty minutes later, but Hiei stayed outside while the two women tended to Reigan. He's assuming that Genkai washed the sweat off of her, and he's sure that his sister helped the weak demon to eat something. He can still feel her energy from where he's sitting, and it's still unstable. Sometimes it'll spike, but it's nothing dangerous. Not yet. He's not sure how long he sat there, but Yukina was the first one to come out. She was carrying a tray, and she smiled at him as she thanked him for looking after Reigan. Genkai came out a few minutes later, and she stopped right in front of him.

"She's stable, for now, but we both know that won't last long. I'm going to ask Yukina to go into town for some herbs; they won't help Rei, but the task will keep Yukina away from the temple. Do you object?"

"No." The whole reason he's doing this is to keep his sister safe, and she'll be safer if she's farther away. He doesn't like the idea of her being around all those humans by herself, but she can handle herself.

"Try to be nice to her, Hiei. She's not in a good state of mind right now." Last night, she'd cried out for Raizen a few more times. Apologized again and again for not being strong enough. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was going insane. He grunted as he got to his feet, and he waited until Genkai was out of sight before walking back into Reigan's room. Her eyes were open, and she watched him slowly walk back into the room.

"You don't have to babysit me. My energy will stabilize soon." She's been changed into a pair of loose gray pants, sleeping pants, and a baggy blue tee shirt. He can clearly see the silver collar around her throat, and her energy won't fully stabilize until it comes off.

"You took my sister shopping." He changed the subject, because there's no point in telling her that her energy is only going to become even more unbalanced. So unbalanced that it might even kill her. So he changed the subject.

"I took everyone shopping, except for Kai. We had fun." Her smile was gentle, but it looked like it took her a lot of effort to hold it. She's sitting up against the pillows, but even that looks like it might be too much for her.

"Why did you buy all those things for my sister?" He can understand her buying things for Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Shizuru. They're her blood. She had no reason to shower his sister with gifts.

"You think I did it to get into your good graces?" At his blank stare, she laughed quietly and pulled the blanket up over her midsection. "I'm not trying to buy your love, Hiei. I plan on wooing you the old fashioned way."

"Then why?" He's not going to play along with her delusions right now. He doesn't have the patience for _that_.

"Because Yukina deserves to have nice things. I saw a lot while I was sealed away, including what happened to her. She has been through terrible things, but she still has one of the kindest spirits I've ever come across. It takes a special kind of strength to remain like that after what she's suffered, and I respect her for it. What I did for her has nothing to do with you."

"You could be lying." She raised a brow at him as she crossed her arms, and just that simple movement was enough to cause a drop of sweat to slide down from her temple.

"We both know that I'm not," she said and tapped the center of her forehead. She's right, and a part of him hates her for it. "I got you presents too."

"You did not." The words fell out of his mouth before he'd fully assessed the situation, and she grinned as she pushed the blanket back down. She rocked unsteadily on her feet as she stood up, but he didn't move closer to her. After a moment, she was able to right herself and moved over to the closet. She kept one hand braced on the doorframe as she grabbed a large bag, and she nearly toppled over when she reached back inside.

"Oh, thanks." The surprise in her voice was evident as he used his grip on her bicep to keep her upright, and he could see the sharp point of her canines as she smiled at him.

"Do you mind dragging that trunk over here?" He let her go as she moved back over to the bed, and she sat the bag on the bed before sitting down. There was a trunk sitting at the back of the closet, about five feet long and solid black, and he easily pulled it out. She probably would have passed out if she'd tried carrying it. He pulled it over to the bed and placed it in front of her feet, and she turned towards the bag.

"Why me?" She was pulling out pants, several pairs, and she paused to look up at him.

"Well, I bought things for everyone else. Not just my blood either. I bought stuff for Kurama, Botan, and Yukina too. Oh! And I got matching rings for me and Kai." She waved her left hand in front of his face, and he grabbed her wrist so that she'd hold still. The large ring was silver and had a mountain engraved on it, with a single sapphire shining out of the middle. A token for Mount Aoyama.

"What did you get me?" Hopefully not too much. He doesn't have much need for material things. There was a small pile of folded pants next to her, and she lightly patted the top of the pile. They were mostly black, but a few of them were the blue denim pants that the others wore. Some of the black pants were made of the same material, but there were a few that were exactly like the ones that he was already wearing.

"Just the basics. Pants, shirts, a nice pair of black steel-toed boots…" She pulled out more things as she continued to talk, and he narrowed his eyes at the growing pile of shirts. Mostly black, some varying shades of blue and red, and a mix of sleeveless and long sleeves. The boots she pulled out were a shiny black and looked sturdy without being bulky, and he glanced down at his dirt-caked boots.

"I don't need all that."

"Are you kidding? You destroy more shirts than Yusuke and Kazuma combined. Oh! I got you a jacket too. It's even got a hood." The jacket that she pulled out was black and made out of some kind of thick material. He reached forward to touch it and was surprised at how soft it was. Leather, but the inside was something softer. There were a few pockets on it, and the hood was made of the same soft material as the inner lining.

"It's acceptable." Her smile was too bright; he hasn't done anything to deserve a smile like that.

"Well, that's all the clothes. Oh, I'll also have you know that I visited an old friend of mine. Really old now. I was there to get your other present, and he threw in the fire-repellant magic for free. All of your clothes are impossible to burn." He picked up one of the shirts, a long sleeved dark blue one, and let his fire spread across it. When he pulled his fire back, the shirt was completely intact. Like nothing had happened.

"Another present?" Reigan was still grinning at him, and it was starting to get on his nerves. She bought him at least twenty outfits, boots, and a jacket that are all fire resistant. Why? He's already told her that he's not going to be her mate.

"I think I got all of the measurements right. You'll have to try it on." Hiei's eyes widened at the contraption that she pulled out of the bag last, and it took him a moment to realize what it was. She held it up with such a hopeful look on her face, and he sighed as he took it from her hands.

The leather was thicker, rougher, than the jacket. The belt was easily secured around his hips, tight enough to keep from slipping off but not tight enough to interfere with his circulation. He buckled the strap around his right thigh first, a little above his knee, and then buckled the left strap in the exact same place. The two scabbards pressed against the outside of his thighs, but not too closely. He could already tell that the thigh holsters would remain completely immobile if he started running, and that they wouldn't be a hindrance in any other way. They already felt like they were molding to his thighs. There was just one thing missing.

"I don't have any daggers," he pointed out. Reigan was looking at the straps, as if making sure that they were buckled together, but her head snapped up at his voice. Her cheeks were flushed, and the light pink color looked even darker against her too pale skin.

"Right! Making weapons is a bit of a hobby of mine. This one," she had opened the trunk and lifted something out for him to look at, "was my very first. It was originally a spear. After Yoko stole it back from Khanna, I had it turned into a dagger. What do you think?"

The pommel was silver and shaped like a bear's head, and the grip was wrapped in black leather. Worn black leather. It's a weapon that has been handled many times over a long period of time. The scabbard was black as well, plain, except for a small dark blue symbol in the center. The cross-guard was silver as well, and the blade easily pulled free from the scabbard. The blade itself was metal, but there was something about it that smelled off. He took in a deep breath and realized what she had done. It was rare and very difficult to do, but there were a few in Demon World that could pull it off. Metal coated bone; a blade with a bone hidden inside.

"This must not have been easy to do." This is what Yoko stole back for her.

"It wasn't. The demon who did it for me required quite the payment." He quirked a brow and waited for her to answer. "First, I had to explain why I wanted to preserve that particular bone. So I told him about how it was from the first demon that I ever killed. It was sentimental. Then he had me kill his enemies. It took a few years, but he was finished by the time I returned. Do you like it?"

"It's a good weapon." He replaced the blade back into the scabbard and handed it back to her, and she tapped her fingers against the symbol on the scabbard before placing it back into the trunk.

"It is, but I miss my naginata sometimes. I crafted it too. Metal staff in three sections, held together by a chain, with a serrated blade as long as my leg." The look on her face was wistful, and he noticed the way that the fingers on her left hand twitched. Her right hand is her dominant one, but it looked as if she handled her weapon with her left hand. "Enough about my weapons! What do you think of these?"

"They're…longer than usual." She was holding up twin Chinese ring daggers, both black, and they were nearly a foot and a half long. The two blades fit perfectly into the scabbards holstered to his thighs, and he reached down to run a fingertip around one of the rings.

"There. You look perfect. Don't you think so?" The clothes, the boots, the holster, the daggers that she admitted to crafting with her own hands…None of it makes any sense to him.

"Still not trying to buy my love?" She scowled up at him, and he realized for the first time that she had freckles across her nose and on the tops of her cheeks.

"The only clothes you own are old and worn out, and you deserve to have something comfortable to wear. Something comfortable and durable. As for the holster and daggers, you're a good fighter at close range. The daggers can give you even more of an advantage. I have trunks just like this one scattered all over Tourin's palace, so I don't mind giving two of them to you. You've helped Yusuke, helped Kazuma, and this is me showing my appreciation. So just say thank you like any other person and get over it."

Her breathing was irregular by the time she was through, and she turned away from him to start shoving his clothes back into the bag. It was a very large bag, black, and made out of a thick sturdy material. Once everything was put away, she placed the bag on top of the trunk and then wiggled her way back up the bed. She collapsed against the mattress before she could pull the blanket over herself, and he sighed as he moved towards the head of the bed. He slowly started pulling the blanket up, but she grabbed his wrist before it could even reach her hips. She's sweating again, profusely, and he can feel her energy spiking again. Spiking without slowing down. Her knuckles turned white as she tightened her grip on his wrist, but the hold was weak. Until it suddenly wasn't.

"Thank you," he grunted out when she finally released him. One of the bones in his wrist was broken, and Reigan was taking jagged breaths.

"I don't think I can hold it back anymore. I'm sorry." She'd barely gotten the words out when her energy pushed out of her, and he was thrown across the room. His head crashed against the wall, and everything went black.

 **.xXx.**

All she could see was dark blue, her own demonic energy, and every part of her was screaming in pain. No, wait, that's just her screaming. She felt cold hands lightly running over her wet face, from the sweat and from the tears, and she worried for a moment that it was Yukina. Genkai's face filled her vision though, and she realized that her friend's hands only felt so cold because her skin was on fire. Her back bowed off the bed as another wave of energy pushed against her skin, and she craned her head to the side. Hiei was slumped against the wall on the other side of the room, and she felt horrible for hurting him. She didn't mean to hold onto him so hard, or to throw him across the room and knock him unconscious.

"You're unstable, Rei. You need to let some of it go." She twisted at Genkai's words, like she could force her energy back down by sheer force of will, but Genkai held her head still.

"I can't. If I let go, Kai, this whole place will explode. Along with all of us." She wasn't expecting so much of her energy to come back so fast; it should have been more gradual, so that she could control it.

"I'll take it. If I take enough, it should stabilize you long enough for you to get out of here. We have to act now though." Genkai…take some of her energy? She remembers watching Yusuke absorb Genkai's power, and she hated having to listen to his screams of pain. Still, they'd both been human at the time. Yusuke's demonic genes were dormant, and Genkai was a human psychic. A very powerful psychic, but a human just the same.

"Humans can't handle demonic power. You know that, Kai." It's why demons can't properly mate with humans; the human spirit can't handle the demonic energy transfer.

"I'm not talking all of it, or even half of it. Just enough for you to get out of here."

"Kai—"

"If we don't do this now, you'll take out the temple and half of Aoyama while you're at it. Now shut up and concentrate!"

Reigan growled as she squeezed her eyes shut, and she did her best to focus on the energy boiling just under her skin. Her energy is literally fighting to get out, to be free, and she can't keep it contained. She kept her energy suppressed for a thousand years, and it's ready to be let out now. She felt Kai's hand press against her sternum and heard the psychic whispering quickly under her breath, and she did her best to hold completely still. It was hard to do when it felt like her insides were trying to liquefy. Just when she thought she was going to lose it and start screaming again, something inside of her snapped. Her eyes flew open at the sensation, and her mouth dropped open.

"What the actual fuck?" she whispered. Genkai was holding a small ball of dark blue energy in the palm of her hand, and sparks were flying off of it. Hiei was standing behind the psychic, and he looked down at her.

"She has to consume it, or it'll explode. Absorbing it is her only chance of surviving," Hiei said and looked at Genkai.

"Get her out of here." Genkai looked up at Hiei as she said it, and the fire demon nodded his head once. Genkai moved the dark blue ball closer to her own body, and Reigan suddenly sat up.

"Kai, no!" Her plea meant nothing, because Genkai had already pushed the ball into her own chest. Her friend was already starting to scream, and Reigan reached out towards her. Hiei caught her before she could, and she struggled as he lifted her into his arms. He moved too fast, so the last thing she saw was Genkai lying on her bedroom floor with blood flying from her mouth.

"Be still, woman!" He was running towards the barrier between the worlds at full speed, and she tightened her fingers around the fabric over his shoulders.

"You have to go back! We can't just leave her there!" Humans can't control demonic energy; spirit energy and demon energy are not compatible, unless someone is born that way. Even then, it's rare. Human women who give birth to half-demon offspring usually die in childbirth, and demon women who give birth to a human's child usually have fully human children. (That's why Shizuru and Kazuma were so rare, but she suspects that they're half-demons because their father was a very powerful psychic.) The point is, there's no way that Genkai can survive absorbing her power.

"It's already too late! Your energy is already becoming unstable again!" He's right, and she knows it. Doesn't mean that she has to like it.

They crossed over into the Demon World in no time, and Hiei immediately headed east. Alaric is to the south of the barrier, Tourin to the far west, and Gandara is north of the barrier. The east is the safest, because there will be less demons to worry about there. Sand turned to hard earth soon, and large barren trees surrounded them at around the same time that she felt her energy spiking again. Hiei placed her between two giant roots of a tree and stepped back, and her head lolled back against the trunk so that she could look at him. In any other situation, she'd be delighted to be spending time with him. Right now? She wants him as far away from her as possible.

"You need to leave." Being back in the Demon World…it really is like coming home. Her body is thrumming with energy, and Demon World is begging her to let it go. To just let go.

"I want to see how powerful you are," Hiei said and crossed his arms.

"I don't want to hurt you." She can't control herself right now, so there's a very good chance that she'll hurt him when her energy finally comes out. She can't take that chance.

"We're meant to be mates, right? If that's true, you won't hurt me." Is he…he's testing her! The demon really must be crazy, and she narrowed her eyes at him. All of her strength is being used to hold her energy back, but she might be able to coax out a little bit more.

"Later, we're having a talk about your decision making skills." With that said, she forced herself to her feet and started running.

Hiei might be faster than her, but she knows this area better than he does. She's had centuries to map every inch of the surface of the Demon World, so she can lose him in this forest. Her legs pumped harder as she moved deeper into the forest, and her nails ripped at her throat as she fought to get the collar off. The clasp was in the back, and her bloody fingers slipped against the slick metal a few times. The collar finally came off, and she let it fall behind her as she kept running. Now that the collar was gone, her energy was exploding out of her. When her legs finally gave out, she collapsed against the forest floor and pushed her cheek against the hard dirt. Her spine arched as she screamed, and her energy finally reached its pinnacle.

 **.xXx.**

"Well, that's somethin' I haven't felt in a long time," Kokou slurred. She was stretched out on her back on Enki's stomach, and her mate was gently combing his fingers through her long hair.

"I haven't felt her full strength in a really long time. Still tastes like stone," Enki hummed. Kokou huffed, but he wasn't wrong. She really is alive.

 **.xXx.**

"Lord Hokushin?" He heard his name being called, but he couldn't look away from the sky. Since Lord Urameshi's departure, he has been working on returning the palace to its former state. It's nearly done, and he's standing on the balcony to the throne room. It is no longer enclosed, so he can see the land around them. See the greenery that is beginning to replace the desert that covered the land as Lord Raizen grew weaker.

"Lady Tourin has returned." It was faint, far off in the east, but that is definitely Lady Reigan's energy. He would know it anywhere. The streak of dark blue energy stood out against the crimson sky, and he has waited a long time to see that energy again. "Prepare Lady Reigan's room at once!"

 **.xXx.**

She took off running faster than he expected, not that he was expecting her to run, so it took him a moment to start chasing after her. That moment was all she needed to gather the upper hand, and he growled low in his chest as he followed her scent. The barren trees grew wild, in no discernible pattern, and he had to slow down to make sure that he was on the right track. The thick smell of her blood caught his senses, and he slid to a stop. The toe of his boot knocked against something on the ground, and he reached down to pick it up. Her collar. Parts of the metal were covered in blood, like she had clawed it off, but she had kept running.

Before he could take another step, a scream echoed in the forest around him. A scream full of pain and relief, and a streak of dark blue cut through to the sky. Her energy has finally been released and isn't trapped inside of her anymore. After that, it was easy to follow her trail. By the time he caught up to her, her energy had died down. She was lying flat on the ground, on her stomach, when he found her. She lying in the center of a crater with a diameter of at least a mile, but her energy was neatly contained inside her body. She was dirty and her hair was lose, but he could see the small smile on her face. One of her eyes peeked open when she heard him approach, and she stretched a hand out towards him.

"I can feel Kai. When my energy stabilized, so did hers. She's alive," she whispered. He knelt down next to her, and he realized that the holster he was still wearing easily moved with him.

"What do we do now?" he asked her. That energy…He's listened to everyone call her weak, despite being an S-Class, but they were all wrong. If he had been standing close to her when her energy was released, he would have been killed. Or close to it. She ran to protect him, to keep him safe.

"We talk about your poor decision making skills." He grabbed her upper arms as he lifted her up onto her feet, and she's only three inches shorter than him. She's standing too close to him. She's not feverish anymore, but he can still feel her warmth.

"My decision making skills are none of your business," he pointed out. Her brows drew together as she looked up at him, and he's still holding onto her biceps. Still holding her close to him.

"They are too my business! You could have gotten hurt, and I don't ever want to be the one that hurts you!" Color was returning to her face, but her cheeks were still flushed.

"I am not your mate! I don't care about what you have seen, or about what the Jagan has seen! I don't care if you bought me things just because you felt like it or if you smell like flowers! We mean nothing to each other!" With every sentence, he pulled her closer to him. Her toes were braced on top of his boots now, and she was close enough that he could count the freckles across her nose and see the lighter blue flecks in her dark eyes.

"You just don't get it yet, do ya? Forget about all the flowers and fluffy feelings, because that's not what we're about. It all comes down to this, you hot headed moron. You're mine. Got it? Good." She said every word from between clenched teeth, and her hands were gripping his shirt right over his chest. Her eyes were spitting fire at him, daring him to say something else, and he snapped.

"Then you're mine too!"

Her lips tasted like salt and metal, from the sweat and the blood. She must have bitten the inside of her lip at some point. Her lips were soft against his, molded to his perfectly, and he let go of her arms so that he could fully pull her against him. Her hands reached up to grab his hair and pull his lips tighter against hers, and his hands traced down the length of her spine. He wanted to taste her, wanted to see what kinds of sounds he could pull out of her throat, but she pulled away from him. She whined as she did it, a low pitched sound that made heat pool in his stomach, and her eyes were nearly black when they met his. His eyes traced the tip of her tongue as she licked her lips, and she moved one hand down to cup his cheek before speaking.

"We definitely need to talk about poor decision making skills."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I really had fun writing this chapter, and I'm totally calling it Hiei-Rei bonding. Even if Hiei was dragged into the bonding moments kicking and screaming. Okay, the daggers…I love watching Hiei slice people up with his sword as much as everyone else, but his sword always gets broken. Has anyone else noticed that? Always broken. I still like the thought of Hiei with bladed weapons though, so I thought of the daggers. With Hiei's speed and accuracy, he'd be deadly with daggers at close range. So, yeah.

I know I call Reigan weak a lot, which she is in comparison to the other S-Class demons, but she's still got plenty of strength. The crater left behind when Reigan's energy was released is pretty big, but if Enki were to do the same thing then the crater would probably be two or three times the size of Reigan's.

As for the ending, it looks like I'm going to have to come up with a new summary for this story. I can't wait to hear your thoughts, and I'll update again next Monday!

 **Nyxiana:** Haha, it's good to know that I'm not the only who cried during that moment. I'm all caught up now though, and I hope the review that I left was big enough! I love writing for Yusuke, I really do. He's such a good guy at heart, but he acts so tough and that's where the funny scenes come from. A lot of times during the series though, I just wanted someone to hug him and tell him that everything's going to be okay. Kokou has her reasons, I promise. I love Kokou, but I like the idea of her and Reigan not getting along. Mostly because neither one of them will ever do anything about it except say mean things. I'll explain more about Genkai's way of thinking in a few chapters that will hopefully make sense. I established ships? I don't remember establishing any ships yet…except for Enki and Kokou, but that goes without saying. Thank you for the review!

 **bubbles22293:** Hiei and Rei are going to have a fun relationship this time. I think that's my biggest regret in LWIYF, not writing more interactions between the actual couple of the story. I'm making up for that in this one. Yeah, I had plans for the villain in LWIYF but I felt so bad about dragging things out for so long that I rushed it in the end. Better villains this time, but I am still going to focus on Rei and Hiei first. Thank you for the review!

 **buzzk97:** Thanks for reading! I'm glad you think it's different, and I've put some thought into the plot so I appreciate the compliment. Again, thanks for reading and thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** They are very long, which reminds me, I'm sorry for not replying yet! Every time I settle down to start responding, something comes up. Soon though, I promise. I like Mukuro's background, but I guess her and Hiei aren't my OTP either. What's your OTP? I think Kurama is a little mixed. He knows that Rei treated one of his men kindly, so I think he respects her for that and maybe even for lying to Yoko to get what she wanted. Haha, when Hiei is in doubt, bring up Yukina! No love triangles this time. I had fun writing it last time, but I don't want to do that again. So Yomi just feels respect for Reigan and nothing else. (PS: I reviewed one of your DBZ stories! Did you see?) Thank you for the review!

 **Mitsuka-Sensei:** LWIYF is my baby and I'm proud of it, but the two stories are completely separate. I just kept thinking on all the things I wished I'd changed in LWIYF, and the idea for this story was created. So they're different and separate, but they both come from the same basic ideas. lol. Thank you for the review!


	12. We're Still Just Friends

**Author's Note:** Classes have been fun, but my week is pretty packed. You may have noticed that I changed the summary; it's mostly because of the last chapter, but I also wanted to pick an updating day and stick with it. I decided on Sundays because I have an early class on Monday, and I want to make sure that I can update before worrying about class. So, Sundays.

As always, thank you to everyone who's reading! I've replied to reviews down below!

 **Post Date:** 20 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 5700

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve  
** **We're Still Just Friends**

"What happened to fate?" She was standing several feet away from him now, to avoid temptation as she said, and had crossed her arms over her dirty shirt.

"What happened to making your own destiny?" Her eyes were still spitting fire at him, just like they had been right before he kissed her, and he reached up to rub his temples. Her eyes followed the movement, and he watched the way that the dark color lightened back into its usual dark blue and then glazed over.

"See something new?" he spit out. Seers may be dangerous because of the knowledge that they carry, but they are also incredibly annoying. Her eyes cleared, and he held still as she stalked back over to him. She stopped when her bare toes touched his boots, and she pointed a finger right at the center of his forehead.

"Listen here, Jagan, this is between me and Hiei! So you stay out of it!" He hissed as the Jagan shocked him, and he resisted the urge to grab Reigan again. It didn't end so well last time.

"What are you yelling about now?" She stopped glaring at his forehead and looked back into his eyes, and she took three quick steps back.

"That pull you feel towards me? That's the Jagan, trying to get what it wants. Tell me, Hiei, do you still want to kiss me?" He thought about it, thought about how soft and warm she'd felt against him, and remembered the salt on her lips. Nothing.

"No." Reigan crossed her arms at that and slowly nodded her head, like everything made perfect sense, but none of it is making sense to him. "Explain."

"I have not seen our future; I just have a feeling that I'm meant to be with you, and I believe that we are on a path that will end with us together. The Jagan has either sensed what I have felt or seen something else, because it wants us together. However, it needs to learn that these things don't happen overnight. That shock you felt? That was the Jagan admitting defeat." She sounded smug as she finished, but his head is still hurting from that shock.

"Admitting defeat?" He should know more about the Jagan than she does, since it is a part of him, and she is only further confirming his seers-are-annoying theory.

"The Jagan is going to let things progress naturally, without interference. You don't feel anything for me, and I don't blame you. You don't even know me! I barely know you! Yeah, I've seen parts of your past and all the stuff you did while teaming up with Yusuke, but that doesn't mean I really know you."

"But you still believe we will end up together." Nothing this woman says makes any sense. Maybe she really did go insane while her energy was trapped.

"Well, yeah, but that can happen at any time. You're still kinda young, so we have time. Time to get to know each other. I guess I'm just asking for a chance? We can start as friends?" His first instinct was to tell her that he didn't have friends, but that isn't true anymore. Kurama, Mukuro, Yusuke, and even Kuwabara are his friends. Against his better judgment. He even respects Genkai.

"Only friends." She clapped excitedly at that and bounced up on her toes, which is a ridiculous response. He is only agreeing to tolerate her presence. After she was done celebrating her idea of a victory, she looked down at herself and wrinkled her nose. Her clothes are filthy, along with the rest of her, and he's surprised that it's taken her this long to notice.

"I wish I could visit Tourin, just for a little while. Yusuke and Shizuru won't be back for a week, but I don't want to worry anyone. I guess that means we're going back to the Human World," she sighed. Her head was turned to the west, where Tourin was, and she sounded…sad. He remembers what it was like to be exiled to the Human World and unable to return to the Demon World, but she was forced to stay out of her home world for a thousand years.

"I can tell Yukina that you are fine and that we will return in a few days' time." She turned back to face him at that, and the smile on her face was small and hopeful.

"You can really do that?" He tapped the bandage around his head, right next to the Jagan, and her mouth dropped open a little. At least there are some things that she doesn't know.

"It doesn't work with long distances, except for with Yukina." She stepped closer to him again, but he didn't worry about grabbing her. That urge was gone now.

"That's because twins are special. Please, tell her that I am perfectly okay and will return in a few days." His eyes closed as he focused, and it only took about a minute for him to connect with Yukina's mind.

" _Reigan's energy has stabilized. She is fine and wishes to spend a few days in Demon World. I will return her to the temple in a few days."_ He could feel Yukina's joy at hearing his voice, and it took her a few minutes to respond.

" _Thank you so much, brother! Genkai says to tell her that everything here is fine. We will see you both when you return."_ The connection closed, and he looked across the small space to Reigan. She was watching him with clear eyes, so she must not have seen anything. Or heard anything.

"Genkai says that everything is fine." Her body visibly relaxed at that, and he listened to the way that her shoulders popped as she rolled them.

"Good. That's good. Ready to go to Tourin?" The shirt she was wearing had short sleeves, and he watched as the fingers of her left hand traced over a black feather on the inside of her right forearm. A dark green vine was weaved around the length of the feather, but the feather was starting to become more noticeable as she traced her fingers over it.

"It will take us nearly three days to reach the palace." The feather was…coming out of her skin. The quill emerged first, from right below the crook of her elbow, and she continued to pull it from her skin. The feather was as long as the entire length of her arm, from the crook of her elbow to her wrist, and the glossy black feather shone under the orange light of the second sun.

"Not with the way that I travel." She drew a finger, sparking with dark blue energy, down the length of the feather. It grew in her hand, until it was several feet long, and she smiled as she hopped up onto it. The feather was floating off the ground and big enough to easily fit several people, and she reached a hand out towards him.

"You expect me to fly to Tourin on a feather that you pulled out of your arm?" The black feather had a dark blue sheen to it, so it's being held up by her energy.

"Well, it sounds kinda crazy when you say it out loud, but yeah. We'll be there in an hour, tops." It takes three days for most demons to run from here to Tourin, but this feather can make it an hour? While he was thinking it over, the feather moved closer to him. Close enough for the edges of it to touch against his arm. Nudging him. "Come on, Hiei. You'll be perfectly safe. I promise."

"If I die, I'm taking you with me."

"Deal!" She grabbed his forearm and pulled him onto the feather, and he carefully sat down behind her. It felt stable enough, and Reigan looked over her shoulder at him. She grinned and winked, and the feather took off a second later.

True to her word, they crossed into Tourin's territory an hour later. There was barely any wind to speak of as they flew across Demon World, so he believed that her energy was acting as a buffer. It elongated the feather, caused them to fly, and kept the wind at bay so that they wouldn't fall off. It was the fastest he'd ever traveled, including being inside of Mukuro's mechanical bug, and he focused on Reigan's chatter instead of the rapidly changing landscape below them. She was talking about the palace…about how it looked the first that she saw it. Tall, awe-inspiring, and covered in greenery. Full of life. It sounded nothing like the Tourin he knows. Tourin is nothing more than a desert, and the palace was giant cylindrical buildings. Nothing else.

"It changed as Raizen grew weaker," he surmised when Reigan quieted.

"Yes, it did. It's like the land knew that he was dying, and the palace changed into his tomb. His army mourned for him, and the land turned into a desert. It wasted away," she whispered.

"Looks like it's coming back to life." Under them, the sand was turning into lush green grass. Trees were starting to grow taller, fields of wildflowers were starting to dot the land, and he could just make out the top of the palace. Reigan blindly reached behind her, and he held still as she gripped his hand. She didn't lace their fingers together; she just held onto his hand as the palace became clearer.

"It's just like I remember." The cylinders were gone, and a true castle was standing now. The castle itself was tall and looked like it was built onto a mountain, with several branches of buildings at differing levels. The largest part of the palace was at the top, a large domed building, and it was surrounded by towers. Thick trees and bushes grew alongside the mountain and the palace, and Reigan cheered as they got closer.

"Shouldn't we go to the entrance?" The entrance to the palace was on the ground, he could see the massive doors even from their place high in the air, but Reigan shook her head.

"This is my home. I don't have to use the front door." She moved the feather up to the highest part of the palace, near the dome, and they stopped above a giant balcony. Reigan slipped off the feather and onto the balcony below, and he slowly moved after her. Once his feet were on the floor, Reigan reached up and grabbed the quill of the feather. It shrunk down to its original size, and she pressed it against the inner part of her right forearm. The feather melted back past her skin, until it was once again occasionally covered by the dark green vine that wrapped around her arm.

"Lady Reigan!" Hokushin was standing between two large open double doors, the ones that opened up onto the balcony, and Hiei is sure that he has never seen the stoic man smile quite like that.

"Hokushin!" She had to jump into the air to wrap her arms around the tall demon's neck, and Hokushin's eyes closed as he wrapped his arms around her back to help hold her up. It was a reunion. One that he should not be witnessing.

"You have been gone for far too long, my lady," Hokushin said once she was standing back on the ground.

"I know, but I'm free to come and go as I please now. And I love what you've done with the palace!" She was looking around at everything, even though he knows that she can't possibly see the entirety of the palace from where she's standing.

"Lord Raizen wanted you to be able to return to the home you deserved." He couldn't see Reigan's face, but he thought he heard her sniff. Like she was trying not to cry.

"Then you've done us both proud." Hokushin bowed his head at that, and Reigan reached forward to grab his hands. "I know you remember Hiei."

"Of course. It is an honor to see you again, Lord Hiei." Hokushin bowed his head to him, even though the earth elemental currently outranks him. Hokushin might be Yusuke's second in command, but he's in charge while Yusuke is in the Human World.

"Can you find a room for him? I'm only staying for a few days, but I want him to be comfortable here."

"As you wish, my lady. Your room has already been prepared." Already? Has Hokushin been preparing for her return since he learned that she was set free?

"You're the best, Hokushin! I'll clean up and then we can have dinner together. Hiei, Hokushin will take good care of you, and I'll see you when it's time to eat." Reigan grinned over her shoulder at him, and she darted off before he could say anything. The woman is completely infuriating.

"Right this way, Lord Hiei."

 **.xXx.**

"He didn't want to join us for dinner?" Reigan had to pause from her rapid chewing to ask the question, because she is absolutely starving. She probably shouldn't have used her energy to fly them here right after getting her energy stabilized, but she didn't realize how much she had missed home until she was actually standing in the Demon World.

"He claimed he was tired. Something about staying up all night to watch after an unbalanced nuisance?" She felt her cheeks flush at that, because she vaguely remembers feeling strong fingers combing through her hair as her energy spiked throughout the night. She thought she'd been dreaming it, but Hiei was there when she woke up. She'd even had her head pillowed on his knee!

"I have a lot to thank him for. You should have seen the crater left behind from when my energy was finally released; the temple definitely would have been wiped out." She added some more meat to her plate and then took a long drink from her cup.

"The temple? Your temple?" Reigan launched into most of the things that she was able to see while locked up, like watching over her children and seeing Yusuke's power grow. They both spoke quietly about Raizen's final days, but the mood lightened as she talked about being released. She's only been free for a few days, but she has treasured every moment that she has spent with her family. She promised Hokushin that Yusuke was just fine, and she answered all of his questions about her children. It felt good to talk about everything with an old friend.

"Tourin owes you, my friend. You've taken such good care of the kingdom," she said quietly. Most of the food was gone now, and she was a little embarrassed at the fact that she was the one who'd eaten most of it.

"I only do what I must, until Lord Yusuke returns." She grabbed his hand as whispers filled her mind, and she smiled at Hokushin. She doesn't know the specifics, but she's still certain.

"He'll return, and he'll be a wonderful ruler. I just know it." Yusuke will come back to Tourin and rule it like Raizen did before him; he'll help keep the balance, and she'll stand at his side.

"For now, I am just glad to have you here."

"And I am happy to be here."

 **.xXx.**

The palace was quiet as he walked through it; everyone was asleep, resting peacefully, and his footsteps echoed in the large hallways. It was like walking through a maze, but he could smell her. Stone and lilac. He only slept for a few hours, but that was all he needed to feel recharged. He didn't intend to seek her out, but he was curious. This was her home for thousands of years, and he's only in his second decade. Living for so long seems strange to him. Most of the demons he knew as a child are dead now, because thieves never live for long. (Except for Yoko and Yomi apparently.) No one stopped him as he roamed the halls and looked into the rooms, and he eventually made his way outside. Not out the front door. She had gone out the back. Farther away from the palace.

Several minutes later, he found her kneeling at the base of a large boulder. There were steps leading up to the plateau where the boulder was, and there was an actual headstone built into a part of the boulder that had been carved out. A large stone, with Raizen's name, and places for offerings. Reigan was kneeling in front of the headstone, and her trembling fingers were tracing over the carvings that made up her brother's name. Her twin brother's name. He wasn't sure if he'd be so calm if he was kneeling at Yukina's grave. Then again, he'd probably never get the chance to kneel at her grave.

"When I died as a human, his heart stopped beating at the very same moment mine did. That's how connected we are. We were. I stayed by his side for seven thousand years. Can you even fathom that amount of time?" Her voice was hoarse, and her shoulders were starting to shake. As if she was already crying. Her back was to him though, so he couldn't see her face.

"No, I can't." She had so many years with her brother, but she's still mourning for him. Because seven thousand years wasn't enough time?

"It's not about time. He was a part of me. My other half. We have always been together, and now there's an empty spot in my soul. I'm happy that he's at peace, and I don't mourn for him. I grieve for myself." Her arms were wrapped tightly around her torso, he could see her fingers clutching at her shirt over her ribs, and she was starting to lightly rock back and forth.

"Then grieve and move on." Her fists pushed against the stone under her, and he could see the way her spine arched as she bowed her head and screamed. Roared. Her anguish was so clear that he could taste it, and he could smell the salt from her tears. She must not have been able to properly grieve while she was sealed away, so he will not judge her for breaking now.

"Thank you, Hiei." Her voice was a wreck, so scratchy that he could barely make out her words, and he watched as she slowly straightened. She reached next to her, where a white bundle was sitting, and she jerkily pulled on the long sleeved robe and tied it together. Once her full body was covered, she slowly got to her feet and turned to face him.

"For what?" All he did was stand still and watch as she finally broke, but she looks okay now. She used the sleeves of her robe to clean her face, and her braid is hanging over her left shoulder. Even her baggy black pants look completely clean.

"For staying with me. Ready to go back?" He turned on his heel and started walking back towards the palace, and Reigan quickly fell into step next to him. She looks completely normal now, almost like nothing happened, but she also looked…lighter. Less burdened.

 **.xXx.**

"We've all heard the rumors about you seein' 'er, so spill!" Reigan paused before crossing in front of the doorway and strained her ears. That voice kind of sounded familiar, but she can't quite place it.

"Yeah! Natsume said she's really strong!" This voice was younger, a little more childish…a teenager, maybe?

"Natsume also said that she's a good ally to have," a quieter voice said.

"Also good for a fight, she said!" Another loud voice, booming and joyful. Ah, yes, she does know these voices. It's been a while since she's seen them, and she's only been able to see quick glimpses. Chu, Rinku, Touya, and Jin. They all fought against Yusuke's team in the Dark Tournament and fought again in the Demon World Tournament, so she's seen them a little. She's pretty sure she saw Chu training with Natsume while Rinku and Kujou laughed at him, and Jin and Touya have become close friends with Souketsu.

"If you want to know so much about her, just ask her yourself!" Uh-oh, it sounds like Hiei is getting annoyed. She stepped forward so that she was framed in the doorway, and she smiled as she took in the various reactions. Everything looked positive so far. Chu lumbered towards her first, and she tipped her head back to look at him. He really is tall.

"You tellin' me this little thing is the Lady Tourin! They used to tell us little ones ghost stories about you." She grabbed his wrist before he could poke the end of her nose, and she smiled up at him.

"I'm not a ghost, and I'm not that scary." His loud laugh shocked her, and she blinked as she watched him throw his head back and continue to laugh. He'd make a good match for Natsume; maybe he can teach her how to relax a little. She let go of his hand as he stumbled back a step, and Rinku skipped forward to take a look at his arm. His wrist was a dark red from where she had grabbed him, but she didn't mean to hurt him.

"She got you good, Chu!" Rinku cheered and smiled at her. These demons really are something else.

"Think we can go for a round?" Jin was floating upside down, so that his red hair was waving in front of her face, and his eyes are such a pretty blue color.

"We're here to help train the army. Not to harass Lady Reigan," Touya said and bowed to her. A full bow too. She hasn't seen that in a very long time.

"Maybe we can give the army a small demonstration?" Jin and Chu both started talking at once, and Rinku quickly joined in. Touya just shook his head, like he was used to dealing with the three of them. Well, today should be interesting.

 **.xXx.**

Reigan fought against Chu and Jin with a constant grin, and Hiei couldn't look away from the fight. As suggested, the whole of Tourin's army was gathered to watch their lady face off against the two S-Class demons. Hokushin was standing with the army, and Rinku was standing as close to the fight as he could get without being roped into it too. Hiei was standing back with Touya, but they could still easily see the fight. All three of them were evenly matched, so it was hard to tell who would win if they were to actually fight. Chu and Jin were strong, but Reigan had years of knowledge as an advantage against their brute strength.

"She is just as strong as Natsume and Kujou said," Touya said after several minutes. Apparently, the four demons were asked to come to Tourin to help Hokushin with the army. Before they left, Natsume and Kujou told them all about Reigan and her imminent return.

The loose clothes she'd been wearing the night before were gone, replaced by tight black pants and a tight dark blue tee shirt. The sleeves had been ripped off of the shirt, and the dark green vine wrapped around her right arm had risen out of her skin to become a weapon. It reminded him of Kurama's rose whip, but the vine was thicker and still attached to her arm. She could use it like a whip or bring it in closer to use as a sword. In her left hand, she easily wielded her naginata. Jin and Chu hadn't been expecting the staff to break into three sections, and she'd been able to use their surprise to land several blows with both the naginata and the vine.

"You have to be strong to survive as long as she has." Reigan, Raizen's friends, Mukuro, Yomi, Kurama…they were all over a thousand years old, because they are strong. She is strong.

 **.xXx.**

"Ooh, someone has their thinking face on. Serious thoughts got you down?" Hiei was sitting on the balcony railing, much like she used to do, but he was farther to the side so that his back could rest against the wall. He had one leg braced on the railing, and his other leg was dangling over the open air. He must have heard her coming, because he didn't react at all to her voice.

"Go away." Such a sweet talker. Reigan easily lifted herself up onto the wide railing, and she crossed her legs under her. She's pretty sure that she won't tip over the side, but it won't matter if she does. It wouldn't be the first time she's fallen off this railing.

"Come on. Friends talk about their problems, and we're friends. So what's on your mind?" When he kept silent, she stretched a leg out and gently prodded his leg with her bare toes. He finally turned to face her, and she smiled as his crimson eyes glared at her. They held the staring contest for a minute and then Hiei finally huffed before crossing his arms.

"I thought I had the Jagan mastered." Oh, so that's what's been bothering him.

"You have mastered it. Anyone else would have been taken over it by now, but the Jagan serves you. Not the other way around." It's actually incredibly impressive for someone his age to have mastered something so powerful, and she's not just saying that because of their future.

"It manipulated me. Made me feel things that I don't feel." That stung, just a little, because it had been a very nice kiss. Not what she would have chosen for their first kiss, especially considering how filthy she had been, but she won't be forgetting it anytime soon.

"The Jagan only wants to help you, but it's learned its lesson now. It knows that interfering will only cause setbacks, so you don't have anything to worry about. From now on, everything you feel will be your own." Which is a good thing too. She doesn't want a false love.

"You're too calm about all of this. I thought you wanted us together." His voice was cold, bordering on a sneer, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I've seen your past, Hiei, so I understand why you are the way you are. I also saw the way you changed after meeting Yusuke, after having a team that you could rely on. And after you finally told Yukina the truth? I've never seen you so at peace. So, I can honestly say that I love you. You've supported my family, cared for them, and I respect you. But I am not in love with you."

"You are a strange woman." Well, that's not the first time that someone has called her strange. Probably won't be the last. To be fair though, it is a strange situation. Sometimes she wishes that she'd never seen Hiei's eyes, never felt that instant pull to be with him, because it would make this easier. Then she could just enjoy his presence without the knowledge of knowing that he'll mean so much to her, at some point in her life. "Does that mean you love Kurama as well?"

"Of course I do. Yusuke, Kazuma, and Shizuru think of all of you as family. You, Yukina, Kurama, Botan, Koenma, and Genkai…I love all of my other friends as well. There's no shame in loving others. Love makes us stronger." He grunted at that, but she's pretty sure that she's starting to get through to him. Maybe.

"We're still just friends." Stubborn little demon.

"Then how about a friendly spar? No weapons, no energy, just a spar to release some tension." She's still dressed in the same clothes as earlier, tight pants and a tight shirt, but her naginata is put away in her room.

"We have tension to release?" He's looking at her without a murderous glint in his eye, so the idea must hold some appeal to him.

"You're all tensed up about this destiny thing and your Jagan trying to play matchmaker, so fighting against me should help with that some. Close contact without any fabricated feelings. As for me, I owe you for attempting to kill my nephew and being such an ass to my son." Yeah, she loves Hiei and everything, but she really did feel the urge to kick his ass more than once while she was sealed away.

"Lead the way."

 **.xXx.**

"That one was for Yusuke." He braced a hand against his stomach, where she had just landed a kick nearly powerful enough to break a rib. She'd been holding back, because they're not trying to really hurt each other. A friendly spar. She grinned as he flew at her, and the fight continued on. He was faster than her, fast enough to land a few hits, but she could normally predict where he was going to strike.

"Using your extra sight isn't allowed." One arm was locked around her throat, holding her back against his front, and she sunk her fangs into his forearm. He grunted as he let her go and jumped back, and she didn't bother to wipe away the blood dripping from her lips.

"Don't need it." She moved faster than he was expecting, and he didn't have time to block her punch. The hit wasn't hard enough to break his jaw, but his teeth cut against his cheek. He spit out a wad of blood and glared up at her, and she was smiling at him with her fists propped on her hips. "That one was for Kazuma."

They each landed a few more hits, but they spent most of the time ducking and dodging. Reigan laughed as they seemed to dance around each other, and he had to fight not to smile himself as they fought against each other. Damn her, she was right. All of the close contact was helping to ease his tension, because everything he felt was his own. He could tell that the Jagan wasn't influencing anything anymore, but he was still enjoying her company. Except for when she drove her knee into one of his kidneys. That he didn't enjoy. He retaliated by landing a solid blow against her solar plexus, and she wheezed a little before dropping to the ground. He only worried about actually hurting her for a moment, because she was laughing soon after she fell. One of her hands patted the ground next to her, and he slowly lowered himself down.

"Next time, we spar with weapons." She's stretched out on the ground, and he's lying down in the opposite direction. Their heads are side by side, but her face would be upside down if he looked over at her. Instead, he's looking up at the dark violet sky.

"We might actually kill each other if we use our weapons." A laugh followed her statement, and she does that a lot. Laugh. Like everything in her world is perfect.

"I think we can control ourselves." A few times during the fight, he'd had her body pinned against his. Her back to his front, their chests and thighs pressed flush together, and he even felt her sweat slip against his skin as they pushed and pulled against each other. He can admit that she's physically attractive, but he didn't feel the same desire that he felt in the woods.

"Can I ask you something, Hiei?" There was a remark on the tip of his tongue, a remark that usually caused Yusuke to call him a smartass, so he held it back.

"What?" His breathing is starting to slow back down, and the grass is soft under his body.

"How'd you know to get me to the Demon World? How'd you know my energy would become unstable?" She tilted her head to look at him, and it was strange to look at her features upside down.

"I visited Mukuro to ask about you, to see if you could be trusted…" He told her everything—what Mukuro said, being summoned to Enki's so the King could inform everyone of her being alive, and Shikaku talking to him through his Jagan. When he was finished, Reigan hummed low in her throat and looked up at the sky.

"I don't suppose Shikaku said where she was?" When he spoke to her, everything had been dark. He'd only been able to make out her form and nothing more.

"No."

"She said she'd come back when I did, but I can't feel her. I couldn't feel the others when they went into seclusion either, but Shikaku…I have her energy inside of me, so I should be able to sense her." The large vine that wraps around her arm and extends onto her back, the feathers, and the raven on her back all come from the raven demon. It's a lot of power to receive from someone else, so Reigan is right. She should be able to feel Shikaku.

"Do you want to look for her?" Reigan sat up at that and twisted so that she could look down at him properly, and he couldn't read the look in her dark eyes. She's thinking about something, but he can't read her emotions.

"There's no point. If Shikaku doesn't want to be found, no one will be able to find her. She'll come back when she's ready." She easily flowed to her feet, and she reached a hand down towards him. There's blood on her knuckles from where she hit him, and her palm felt just as rough as his. Once he was standing, she let his hand go and smiled. "I think that's enough excitement for today. Ready to go back tomorrow? I want to check on Kai."

"Tomorrow," he agreed. They were silent as they walked back to the palace and then through the hallways, and Reigan called out a quiet goodnight as they went their separate ways. She's definitely one of the strangest demons that he's ever met.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** Come on, did you really think that I would let Hiei and Rei off that easily? There's going to be plenty of interaction between the two, but they're not going to just instantly fall in love. That'd be crazy, right? Besides, I like writing for stubborn Hiei.

Let's see…the feather. Picture Kagura from Inuyasha. I'm sure the flying feather thing has been used in other things, but that's all I can think of at the moment. (I'm tired, and I love Inuyasha about as much as I love Yu Yu Hakusho so that's all my tired fanatic brain can think of right now.)

In the next chapter, we'll see how Genkai is doing! She's alive, obviously, but things are gonna get a little weird.

(To anyone reading _Enough_ , I haven't forgotten about it. The next chapter is halfway finished, so it should be updated in a week or so. Hopefully sooner.)

 **SakiHanajima1:** Writing the bonding moments between Hiei and Rei is so much fun, so I'm glad you liked it! As for Genkai, all will be revealed in the next chapter. I have big plans for the daggers. They really do! Every single fight, they lose clothes. Except for Kurama, but I'm sure his are ruined because of all the blood. Hiei deserves a little spoiling; they all do. I hope you liked the update, and thank you for the review!

 **Nyxiana:** There were a lot of ships in LWIYF. I had planned on establishing all of them a bit better, but I got a little…tired? The story was getting so long, and I just wanted my OC and Hiei to get together already. I won't make any promises about ships in this story, but I'm going to try and make every sensible. Was the review satisfactory? I think I rambled. Haha, I'm glad you liked all the fluff! I think the last story was seriously lacking in fluff, so I'm making up for that now. Especially between Hiei and Rei. Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** I think you did mention it in your last message. They are a surprising pairing; I'll have to see if I can work that into a story sometime. Yeah, no love triangle. That makes everything complicated and messy, and I don't wanna write it. Hiei is one of the most stubborn characters that I've ever seen. His words and actions are constantly at odds, but that makes him fun to write. He's going to keep fighting, for now. I have plans for the daggers, but it's a long way down the road. Thank you for the review!

 **Exhia529:** I hope you had a good vacation! Hiei is fearless, for sure, and possibly not all that bright. Don't worry though, Rei's cool with it. Haha, of course the kiss had to be at the end. That's what makes it a good cliffhanger. It is faster than LWIYF, which is kind of the point. You can tell by now that they're not head over heels in love, but it's progress. And don't worry, this story has a long way to go before it's finished. Thank you for the review!


	13. I Don't Blame You

**Author's Note:** It's a little later than usual, but here's the next update! Try to keep an open mind as you read, because all will be explained throughout the chapter and I'll clear up a few more things in the Ending Note.

 **Post Date:** 28 August 2016

 **Word Count:** 5695

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen  
** **I Don't Blame You**

She doesn't have any of her clothes from the Human World, so it took her a little while to find something appropriate to wear. She eventually settled on a pair of dark blue tights and a sleeveless white shirt that went down to her upper thighs. She packed up a few things in a trunk that she wanted with her in the Human World, including her naginata this time, and she smiled as she patted the closed lid. She's going to stay long enough to have breakfast with Hokushin and the other four demons currently staying in the palace, and then her and Hiei will head back to the barrier. She knows that Genkai is alive, she was able to feel that, but she won't feel completely relieved until she sees the psychic alive and well with her own eyes.

"Come on, Natsume! Just a few questions, that's all!" The voice spilled out of the dining room, and Reigan heard loud laughter coming from inside as well.

"Reigan has been through a lot, and the last thing that she needs is someone writing an article about her. The answer is no, Koto." That's definitely Natsume's no-nonsense voice, and Reigan remembers Koto. She was the announcer at the Dark Tournament and at the Demon World Tournament. The cat demon is a little on the bloodthirsty side, but Reigan can appreciate that in a person.

"We'll be completely respectful! Promise!" That voice was different but also familiar, and it clicked quickly. Juri. She took over for Koto in the Dark Tournament, but she's not really sure why the two demons are here and asking about her.

"Reigan! Run while you can!" Kujou caught sight of her first, and he grinned as two female demons quickly approached her. Koto's the same height as her, but Juri is a little taller than her. Only by an inch or so.

"Can I help you?" They're both looking at her with wide and hopeful eyes, and it's a little unsettling. Juri is holding some kind of recorder, and Koto is holding a pad and pen.

"We have our own show on DTV, and we were wondering if we could ask you a few questions? Everyone is buzzing about your return!" Koto said quickly. Reigan leaned to the side and met Hokushin's eyes, and the earth elemental just shrugged. She's not sure if that's a good sign or not.

"Even if we can't question you, can we still stay and eat? This looks delicious." A third female demon was sitting at the table next to Hokushin, one with long red hair and dark brown eyes. Hiei was glaring across the table at her, and that's when it clicked. Ruka. She's the demon that posed as a nurse to trap Hiei and Genkai during the Dark Tournament. Reigan knows that the three female demons are on the side of good and everything, but she's still surprised that they're friends. Because they are. Close friends. She can sense the strong bond between the three women.

"Yeah, eat all you want. Why do you want to ask me questions?" She asked the question as she walked over to the table, and she sat down at the head of the table. Hokushin was to her left, and Hiei was sitting on her right. Ruka was sitting next to Hokushin, and there was an empty chair next to her and across from her. Juri sat next to Ruka, and Koto sat down between Hiei and Jin. Natsume, Kujou, Touya, Chu, and Rinku were seated at the other end of the table.

"Because yer big news! Lady Tourin has returned!" Chu yelled down the table. Natsume elbowed him in the stomach hard enough to make him grunt, but he didn't stop smiling. He just called it a love pat and went back to eating.

"I'm not big news, and I haven't returned because I never really left." She piled food onto her plate, enough to make Hiei's eyes widen, and then looked at the three women there to interview her. "How'd you get here anyway?"

"They ran into us on our way here. We tried to lose them, but they're fast." Kujou glared at Juri as he said it, but the koi demon just smiled and took a dainty bite of her breakfast.

"No one has seen you for a thousand years! You disappeared!" Well, one thing is for sure, Koto is a determined little thing.

"Until a few days ago, when whispers started up about Lady Tourin being alive and well," Ruka added. They have their own show on Demon Television, DTV for short, and it's pretty popular. Botan and Yukina told her all about it during their shopping trip. She can't tell the truth, because it's no one's business. It's private. She can tell some of the truth though.

"When Raizen decided to stop eating, I knew that he was eventually going to die. So I secluded myself in the Human World and cut myself off from everything that had to do with the Demon World. I would have returned sooner, but I've been mourning my brother's death." Koto was scribbling furiously in her notebook, and Ruka looked like she regretted asking the questions. Not that she did, but they're acting as a single unit.

"We are sorry for your loss, Lady Reigan," Juri said quietly.

"Just Reigan, please." Koto cleared her throat, and Reigan warily looked around Hiei at the cat demon.

"What are your plans now that you're back? Do you plan on ruling Tourin? Are you going to enter in the next Demon World Tournament?" Reigan drummed her fingers against the table as she tried to think of how to answer that, and she could hear the others mumbling at the other end of the table. Debating on what her answers would be.

"My plan is to spend time with my family. As I'm sure you know, Yusuke is currently in the Human World so I'm leaving today to join him. I don't want to rule Tourin or the Demon World, so I won't be competing in anything. Sorry for the disappointment, girls." She shrugged as she finished and then finally started to eat, because she really is hungry.

"No disappointment here! We're eating in Tourin's palace with Lady Tourin herself! Best day I've had in a while." Koto grinned as she talked, and Reigan relaxed a little in her seat. She listened as everyone talked around her, even Hiei said a few words, and she was nearly done eating when Kujou spoke up.

"King Enki wants to celebrate your return, but he doesn't know what date to set." A celebration? There was a time, back when they were all together, that they took every opportunity to celebrate. It was mostly an excuse to drink, dance, and fight. Not always in that order, or separately. You haven't truly lived until you've been in a drunken dance fight, and it's been a long time since she truly…celebrated.

"Late July? I think that will give him time to prepare." Kazuma will be out for the summer by then, so her children will have the option of coming to the Demon World with her. She'd like for her children to meet her oldest friends.

"Can we—"

"No!" Kujou was quick to cut Juri off, and the table shook as Kujou yelped. If Reigan had to guess, she'd say that Juri just kicked him under the table.

"Of course, all of you are invited. Hokushin, make sure that King Enki knows that I would like these three to be at my celebration." Koto and Ruka clapped excitedly, and Juri's fake sweet smile made Kujou scowl. Well, at least she knows who to watch for entertainment at the future celebration.

"I'll send word after breakfast, my lady."

Breakfast was…interesting. She didn't know most of the people eating at her table, not personally, but she still enjoyed listening to their banter. They all had kind things to say about Yusuke, so it's good to know that her nephew has true allies here in the Demon World. She said goodbye to Hokushin first, because he had more important things to attend to, and Natsume and Kujou followed her into her room after breakfast. She'd asked Hiei to meet her in the throne room, on the balcony, so it was just the three of them. It's been such a long time since she last saw the younger demon twins, and they're still so strong. So loyal. Just like she always knew they would be.

"You didn't mention your children," Natsume said once they knew they were alone.

"Probably smart with the reporters around," Kujou said and crossed his arms. She took turns meeting their eyes, and she slowly sucked in a deep breath.

"Shizuru and Kazuma are my children. Shizuru's memories didn't return until I was freed, and Kazuma had no idea. Koto and Juri both know Kazuma, so I didn't want to expose him." Natsume and Kujou looked at each other, and she knew that they were communicating in a way that only twins can. Looks and expressions can mean even more than words sometimes.

"We've heard stories of the hum—of Kazuma. He survived the Dark Tournament, so we know he must be strong," Natsume finally said.

"And with a seal too? Your children really must be powerful," Kujou said with a grin. Her children are strong, so very strong, but they're still human. For now. She can't tell if they'll remove the seals or not, but she has a feeling that they will eventually.

"They are, but power isn't everything," she reminded them. They both nodded at that, and they spent the next few minutes saying goodbye. Reigan promised to see them again in a few months, at Enki's, and she waved goodbye to them with her trunk hefted over one shoulder.

"A few days ago you couldn't even pull a trunk out of a closet. Now you're carrying one with one hand?" Hiei was eyeing the trunk sitting on her shoulder, and she smiled as she tossed it at him. He caught it with a scowl, and she reached down to run her fingers down the length of the feather on the inside of her right forearm. The other feathers on her arm, the ones on top of her forearm and around her upper arm, are smaller and better used as weapons. Like small blades. This feather though, the longest one, is only used for transportation.

"A few days ago, I barely had the strength to lift my head. I'm all stabilized now, and that trunk isn't nearly as heavy as the other one." The feather slid out of her arm, and she'll never get over that cool tingling sensation as the feather comes out of her skin. The vine is heated but doesn't burn her, so it's the complete opposite.

"I am not your servant," Hiei pointed out as the feather grew. Reigan hopped up onto it and then reached down to grab the trunk from Hiei's arms, and she bit down on the inside of her lip to keep from smiling as he grumbled his way up onto the feather behind her.

"No, you're my friend," she reminded him. He continued to grumble as they started moving back towards the barrier, but they were quiet for most of the ride. Reigan was full from breakfast and just starting to truly wake up, and Hiei isn't a big talker. She's okay with that. Solitude can be a good thing sometimes. They briefly talked about the demons still in Tourin's palace, and Hiei talked about them favorably enough. He really has come a long way since the first time she saw him face off against Yusuke.

"Are we going to fly through the barrier?" They're really close now, but she isn't slowing down.

"Don't worry, I'll steer us clear of human eyes. It beats having to walk up all those stairs, doesn't it?" Hiei grunted, so she's taking that as him agreeing with her. Crossing through the barrier was easy, and Reigan looked up at the light blue sky. Yep, just as beautiful as she remembers. The barrier isn't too far from the temple, and she flew high enough up in the sky that no one would have been able to see them. She didn't sense anyone nearby, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Within minutes, they were flying over the temple stairs and then the temple grounds.

"REIGAN!"

"A yell that loud rarely means anything good," she mumbled. She could just make out Koenma standing in front of the temple, and she'd bet her first pair of throwing knives that he was glaring up at her. She hasn't done anything wrong though, so why's the prince so mad at her? She brought the feather down in front of the temple, and she carefully sat down her trunk before jumping down. Hiei was already standing on the ground, so she returned her feather to under her skin.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Koenma walked closer to her as he yelled, and Reigan fought down the urge to yell back. She kept her collar on and suffered the pain of her returning energy to keep from damaging anything in the Human World, and she didn't hurt anyone in the Demon World when her energy was finally released. Koenma has no reason, that she's aware of, to be yelling at her.

"No. So stop yelling at me and explain." She sounded calm, but she doesn't feel it. Koenma has her gratitude, several times over, but she doesn't enjoy being yelled at like some misbehaving child.

"We thought your energy would burn out and only be temporary, but we were wrong. I have run every possible test, and Genkai's condition is permanent." Genkai's…condition? The psychic took less than half of her energy, so what happened to her?

"What's wrong? Is she going to be okay? Kai?!" She moved to the side to look past Koenma, into the temple, but she couldn't see Genkai. She was still trying to sense Genkai's energy when a force of energy knocked her back, and she slid across the ground for several feet.

"A human spirit with a demon's lifespan. I thought it would fade or that I might have to live out another lifetime, not several!" The voice yelling at her now was soft and so full of anger…of pain. Reigan lifted her head off the ground as her eyes opened, and it felt like her jaw was going to become unhinged as she took in the sight in front of her.

"Kai, you're…young." The woman standing in front of her looks no older than her early twenties; Genkai's gray hair has turned back into a vibrant pink around her face, and her honey eyes are clear. Wait, Genkai said that she had a demon's lifespan. Her energy must have fused with Genkai's spirit energy, and Genkai's energy must have been able to absorb her own and overpower it. A human spirit with a demon lifespan.

"I lived my life, and I was ready to die!" Reigan stumbled onto her feet, and she looked across the space at Genkai. The psychic is four inches shorter than her, but Reigan knows better than most that size means nothing. Genkai has been returned to her younger form, her strongest form. Reigan never told her, but Genkai was as strong as an S-Class demon in her prime.

"This can be a good thing," Reigan said quietly. Another blast of energy forced her to her knees, and she raised her arms as Genkai came at her. The psychic was aiming to truly hurt her…to punish her.

"I am a human! We live, we grow old, and we die! I lived, I grew old, but I can't die! Because of you!"

Reigan knows that what happened to Genkai isn't really her fault; Genkai made the decision to take her energy, but Genkai needs an outlet. Needs someone to blame. So Reigan lowered her arms and let Genkai unburden herself. Genkai's hits were powered with her spirit energy, and bones snapped under the constant pressure. Organs ruptured. Her skin split and blood fell to the ground. The whole time, Genkai raged against the unfairness of what had happened. Reigan didn't fight back or try to protect herself, because she knew that Genkai wasn't going to kill her. She might want to, but she won't. A powered up fist pushed her face into the dirt, and she coughed up blood as Genkai's knee drove into her stomach. She was lying flat on her back on the ground, and she turned her head to look up at Genkai. The psychic had her fist raised, ready to land another blow, but fingers gripped her wrist.

"That's enough." Hiei's voice was quiet, and she could see the way his arm shook as he struggled to hold Genkai back. "Look at her, Genkai. You've done enough."

"I cannot grow old, like I am meant to, because of her." Reigan heard the sound of a blade being unsheathed, and one of the ring daggers that she gave to Hiei was pressed against Genkai's throat in the next moment.

"No! Hiei, no!" Her cry was barely audible, because she's pretty sure that she has a collapsed lung.

"If you want to die, I'll kill you right now. Demons are not immortal and neither are you." Genkai was looking into her eyes as Hiei spoke, and Reigan wanted to stop him. Wanted to get the blade away from Genkai's throat, because it would only take a small movement of Hiei's wrist to cut through Genkai's jugular.

"Get her out of my sight." Hiei returned the ring dagger to the holster on his thigh, and he released Genkai's wrist. Once Genkai was standing, he carefully picked her up and started towards the temple. Most of her body was aching, and bleeding, but Hiei didn't seem to notice. They passed Koenma and Yukina, who were both standing in front of the temple, and Reigan closed her swollen eyes.

Hiei took her to her room and laid her down on the bed, and Yukina joined them a few minutes later. She asked Hiei to leave so that she could properly attend to her wounds, and Reigan heard him grunt once before walking out. The door closed behind him, softly, and Yukina's cool hands carefully removed her clothes. The blood was gently washed off of her body as Reigan stared up at the ceiling, and Yukina started quietly humming. It was a soothing sound, meant to comfort, but Reigan couldn't enjoy the sweet sound. All she could see was the pain and rage in Genkai's eyes. After her body was clean, Yukina began healing her many wounds. Organs were pieced back together, bones were reknit, cuts were sealed, and bruises faded. She was healed, but there was still a deep ache throughout her body. That was normal and would probably last for a couple of days. Yukina carefully redressed her, in loose sleeping pants and a large soft sweater, and Reigan pressed her cloth covered hands against her face.

"Do you need anything, Reigan?" Yukina's voice was quiet, like she was scared to speak too loudly, and Reigan shook her head. The door opened and closed again, and she knew that Hiei was sitting in her now open window.

Reigan rolled onto her side and drew her knees up to her stomach, and the tears started a few minutes later. She knows that it's not really her fault, she _knows_ that, but it doesn't lessen the pain. Because she understands why Genkai is so upset now. Genkai lost her family to demons, lost her lover to a demon, and her chosen apprentice became a demon. She's lived a long life, one filled with loss, and she was ready for it to end. She spent her time growing her strength, used that strength, and then retired. Grew older and grew weaker, and she was proud of herself for that. Toguro couldn't handle the thought of growing old, growing weak, but not Genkai. She knew that many in her family never lived to old age, but she did. She was so close to being able to rest, but she'll never get that now. She'll never get to age again.

"I'm over here crying my eyes out. The least you can do is comfort me," she finally said. She's been crying steadily for over twenty minutes now, and she can feel Hiei's growing unease.

"I don't comfort." She knows that's a lie, but she's not going to point that out now. She's too busy crying over the unfairness of her friend's life.

"Friends comfort each other, so get over here and hold my hand. You can do that much, can't you?" He grumbled something under his breath, she couldn't hear it because a sob was choked off in her throat, and the bed dipped behind her. She raised her hand, and she felt Hiei's wrapped fingers lace through her own. She pulled his arm farther across her body so that she could hold onto his hand with both of hers, and she heard his quiet sigh of defeat.

"What happened was not your fault." The length of his leg was pressed against her spine, and his arm was draped over her ribs so that she could hold his hand against her stomach. It's a loose hold, but it's better than nothing.

"I know." Hiei shifted but stayed in the same position, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Then why didn't you defend yourself?" He doesn't sound angry, just curious.

"Because she needed to let it out, and I'm strong enough to handle it." Hiei huffed but didn't say anything else, and she traced a finger over the bandages on his knuckles. She just needs to rest, for a moment.

 **.xXx.**

"You are a fool." Seeing Genkai look so young is…unsettling. Her hair is much too bright.

"How is she?" Hiei stayed by Reigan's side until she was in a deep sleep, and it took him a good five minutes to extricate his hand from her hold. She's stubborn even in her sleep. He quietly moved out of the room once he was free to go get her trunk, but he found the thing sitting next to her door. Yukina was asleep in her room, because healing Reigan had taken a lot of her energy. So he sensed out Genkai and found her sitting on the temple steps.

"She cried herself to sleep, but we all know what happened to you is not her fault. You attacked her for no reason." He's not sure why he cares so much, but watching Reigan stand completely still while Genkai beat her had made him feel uncomfortable. He could hear the sound of her bones breaking and smelled the way her blood mixed with the dirt, and he wasn't sure that Genkai was going to stop before she was dead.

"I know." Genkai didn't sound remorseful, but she did have her head bowed. He tried to imagine what this must be like for her, but he couldn't. He thought she should see it as a gift. She's been returned to her strongest form, and she will remain strong.

"Then why?" Brown eyes looked up at him, and they're a more vibrant color than he is used to.

"When Koenma told me that my spirit energy was closer to that of a demon's, that I would remain in this form until I was killed, I felt it all fall apart. Everything that I worked for in my life suddenly meant nothing. Koenma had just confirmed it when you returned and seeing her…My family has served her for generations, has loved her and accepted her as family, and I did too. I love her, almost like an older sister, so I decided to take some of her energy to save her. I planned to die, to save her and everyone else nearby, but I didn't die. I lived, and I am going to keep living. She always told me that I would live forever." The psychic laughed at the end, a dry and humorless sound, and Hiei crossed his arms.

"She does not deserve to be punished. She had no control over what happened." Genkai looked back up at him, and it's strange to see so much in her young eyes.

"Imagine if someone told you that you were suddenly human. Would it take you time to process it?" Suddenly becoming human…the thought alone was enough to make him taste bile at the back of his throat, but he fought the taste back down.

"Take as long as you need but do not lay another hand on her." He went back inside before Genkai could say another word, and he quietly let himself back into Reigan's room. She was still curled up into a ball in the center of the bed, but it doesn't sound like she's crying anymore. He moved back to the window and sat down, and he closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the edge. Someone has to keep an eye on the self-sacrificing idiot until her family returns, and he's got nothing better to do at the moment.

 **.xXx.**

"I hope you're not expecting an apology." Genkai was sitting at the head of her kitchen table and drinking a cup of tea, and honey brown eyes looked across the room at her. Reigan shifted on her feet and pulled on the sleeves of her oversized sweater, but she didn't look away from Genkai's eyes. Sweet Enma, it's like being transported into the past.

"Wouldn't dream of it." She slowly pulled out the chair to Genkai's right and then carefully sat down when the psychic didn't voice an objection. She'd left Hiei sitting on her window sill, apparently asleep, but she knows that he's listening. She dreamed of him talking to Genkai and heard Genkai's explanation of what happened, and she knows it wasn't really a dream.

"I don't blame you for…this." Genkai waved her free arm in front of her torso, to indicate her young appearance, and Reigan lightly bit the inside of her bottom lip.

"I didn't even know it was possible, Kai. I swear to you that I didn't," she said quickly. As far as she knows, something like this has never happened. Most humans can't even handle demonic energy, but Genkai was able to absorb it and overpower it. Reigan can feel it now. Genkai made her demonic energy her own, transformed it into increased spirit energy, and it's a little terrifying.

"Koenma checked all of his records; he even went to Enma. Nothing like this has ever happened before." Genkai looked over to meet her eyes, and Reigan knows what her friend has sacrificed. She has sacrificed her chance at being able to rest with her family, because Genkai isn't the type to kill herself. She won't throw a fight and let anyone else kill her either. When she dies, it will be because she was defeated by someone stronger than her.

"I'm sor—" Genkai raised her hand to cut her off, and Reigan noticed that she was still wearing the ring. The one engraved with Mount Aoyama. She hasn't taken it off.

"You did nothing wrong. It was my decision that caused this outcome, and I should not have taken out my anger on you. You didn't deserve it." She could feel tears welling up in her eyes again, and she hurriedly rubbed her sleeves against her aching eyes.

"So, we're good?" She thinks of Genkai as family, and she hates the idea of Genkai hating her. It's a big hate cycle, and she doesn't like it one bit.

"You are the closest thing I have to family, and I will not turn from you. I do, however, have a request." Well, it's good to know that Kai thinks of her as family too.

"Anything you want, it's yours." It's the least that she can do at this point.

"I believed that I only had a few years left, at the most. Being surrounded by loved ones sounded like a good way to go. Now I know I'm going to be around for a while, and I would like to have my solitude back."

"You want us to move out?" Yusuke and Shizuru haven't even really moved in yet, and this temple has been her home since…well, since forever.

"Closer to the mountain would be nice. Maybe by that lilac tree you favor so much." Reigan's face ached a little as she smiled, and Genkai reached over to grab her left hand. Their rings made a quiet clinking sound as they touched, and Reigan turned her hand over so that she could hold Genkai's hand with her own.

"We'll get through this together, Kai. I promise."

"Quit being so sentimental and start drawing plans for your new home." Laughing made her whole body throb with pain, but it was worth it. Everything is going to work out.

 **.xXx.**

"What the fuck?!"

"Yusuke! Language!" Reigan yelled and pointed a finger at him. He just carried up several bags weighed down with most of his belongings, he's still got bags and boxes waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, and he's obviously so tired that he's hallucinating. That's the only explanation for what he's seeing right now.

"Shut your gaping trap before I put my foot through it!" She sounds like Genkai, but there's no way that's his teacher. Genkai doesn't have any relatives though, so it's not her granddaughter or something. Also, he remembers her from the Dark Tournament when they fought against that weird doctor's team.

"Why are you in your younger form?" Shizuru asked. She looks completely calm, but Yusuke feels like he's losing it. He's got an aunt that popped out of a statue, two friends that turned out to actually be his cousins, and his teacher has been de-aged by about fifty years. Hiei walked out of the temple to stand behind Reigan and Genkai, who were sitting on the steps leading into the temple, and Yusuke pointed a finger at him.

"Next you're going to tell me that you're actually a pacifist!" he yelled. Hiei crossed his arms as he raised a brow, but Yusuke didn't lower his arm.

"Don't be such a fool." Reigan turned her head to look up at Hiei, and the fire demon briefly glanced at her before huffing and walking down the steps. Reigan stood up and walked down the steps after him, and she took turns hugging him and Shizuru. Yeah, being welcomed back after being gone for only five days is nice and all, but he really wants to know why Genkai looks so young.

"We will explain everything after we get the rest of your stuff. Stop worrying so much." Reigan stepped back and pressed her fingers against her right arm, and his eyes widened as she pulled a feather out of her arm. A feather. Out of her arm. So much for it just being a tattoo. The feather grew and stayed floating in the air, and Reigan and Hiei easily jumped up onto it.

"I've missed the feather," Shizuru said as she climbed on.

"Did I go insane?" Reigan grinned as she grabbed his wrist and easily pulled him several feet off the ground, and he was surprised at how steady the feather felt. This is all so weird. He felt completely stable as the feather flew down past the giant staircase leading to the temple grounds, and Reigan and Shizuru stayed on the feather while he and Hiei handed them all of the leftover luggage. The feather seemed to grow longer to hold all of the bags and boxes, and Yusuke shook his head as he got back on.

"Don't worry, Yusuke. We'll explain everything," Reigan said and smiled as she looked back at him.

"We're on a giant flying feather," he pointed out.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Shizuru asked. Yusuke raised a brow at her, and Shizuru shrugged. "Mother used to take me flying on it all the time. It's perfectly safe."

"You flew a kid on this thing?!" He knew his life would never be the same after he died the first time, but this is starting to get ridiculous.

"Perfectly safe," Reigan answered in a sing-song voice. He'll be lucky if he survives the explanation of Genkai's sudden youthfulness, because his head already feels too full.

 **.xXx.**

"Do you think we broke him?" Reigan whispered.

"It is a lot to take in, Mother," Shizuru replied. Yusuke was looking down at the table and mumbling to himself, and Reigan felt a little bad for her nephew. He's had to take in a lot this past week, and she knows how much he cares about Genkai. Seeing her look so different, so much younger, really must be a shock.

"I am still the same person. I just look younger," Genkai said as she looked at her student. Yusuke looked up to meet her eyes and slowly nodded, and he pressed his palms flat against the table as he stood up.

"I'm going to go somewhere to think. I'll be back…whenever I get back." He shuffled out of the room, and Reigan reached over to grab Shizuru's hand as he walked away.

"He'll be fine. He just needs to let everything settle in. I'm going to go call Kazuma and update him, so that he doesn't get shocked when he comes back." Reigan looked over at Shizuru, and her daughter is right. They don't need to keep anything from Kazuma.

"Okay. When you're done, you can help me design the new house." Shizuru smiled at her, and Reigan relaxed just a little bit. It's going to take time for all of them to adjust to everything, but Reigan has faith that they'll get through everything. They just have to learn how they're all going to fit together.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I totally don't own DTV. Sometimes I watch YYH Abridged by Lanipator on YouTube when I'm writing, so that's where DTV comes from. (You should watch it; it's not very long but is extremely hilarious.)

Genkai…I don't even really know where to begin. She is in her younger form, and she's going to stay that way. She's like a demon, but she's still 100% human. I've always believed that Genkai is the strongest human psychic, when she was in her prime, which is why she was able to survive taking in Rei's energy. As for her outburst, try to put yourself in Genkai's place. She lived her life, did everything she wanted to do, and was ready to go. That's why she invited everyone to live with her, so that the people she cared about would be with her in her last days. Koenma had just confirmed that she was going to be forever young when Reigan returned, and Genkai snapped. (It's my own personal headcanon that Genkai had a temper when she was younger. She mellowed over the years, but I think young Genkai was a bit of a hothead. Which is probably why she cares for Yusuke so much. They're alike.)

If there's any questions about anything, I'd be happy to answer them!

 **Nyxiana:** I do love writing the fluff, so I'm glad you liked it! Reigan likes Hiei, sure, but she loves her family. So she's not going to just let Hiei get away with everything. (There's another scene later on with her defending Kazuma that I really loved writing. You'll know when you see it.) Shikaku will pop up randomly, but she won't be back in the story for a while. Because of reasons. It's okay, I can admit that I was slacking in some areas of LWIYF. I just want to do a better job with everything this time, and I think it's coming together pretty nicely. I'm glad you found the tournament info! Because I'm dying to see how everything goes. I know how hard it is to write while taking classes though, so there's no rush. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** I think Hiei really needs a friend; someone that doesn't want anything more than just his company. And Rei isn't really ready for a serious relationship, because there's so many other things going on. So, friendship. Yay for no crying! That is kinda rare with some parts of my story, huh? Reigan has been pretty much mourning Raizen's death for a thousand years, so I didn't want to drag it out anymore. I like Chu and Natsume together; it's that opposites attract thing. Shikaku will eventually return, but it's going to take a while. I hope the Genkai explanation was worth the wait! Thank you for the review!

 **buzzk97:** Haha, I was definitely channeling Kagura in that moment. (There's not enough Kagura love out there; I know everyone in that series was kinda tragic, but her storyline was truly heartbreaking. Can you tell I love the series too? One day, I hope to write a crossover.) Yep, Hiei kinda lost control for a minute. So it was meant to be out of character. I'm glad you enjoyed the updates, and thank you for the review!

 **exhia529:** I've read a few stories where Hiei and the OC get together immediately, but I just can't see it. I still thought it'd be fun to have it happen though, and it's important to remember that it wasn't _Hiei's_ decision. That was the Jagan pulling the strings, but it's going to back off and behave now. Yeah, I don't want Hiei and Rei to hate each other so they're going to start off as friends. Writing them as friends has been so much fun too, so I hope you enjoy the future interactions! Thank you for the review!


	14. Tell Me I'm Pretty

**Author's Note:** For anyone who looked for an update last Sunday, I'm sorry. I'm still getting back into the routine of classes, and I forgot to update. I'd like to promise it'll never happen again, but I can't see the future. So the plan is to keep updating on Sunday, but don't be surprised or worried if I miss a week. Also, feel free to message me and yell at me if I skip an update. I'm pretty scatterbrained, so the yelling helps keep me focused. Speaking of…

This chapter is dedicated to **SakiHanajima1**! Thank you for sticking with me. (While waiting for me to update, you should go read her stories. Go!)

 **Post Date:** 10 September 2016

 **Word Count:** 5700

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen  
** **Tell Me I'm Pretty**

 **One Week Later**

"If you don't stop staring at me, I'm going to throw you through the wall. Then I'll make you fix it," Genkai said and took a slow sip of her drink.

"Building walls is not fun," Yusuke added and shoveled food into his mouth. Reigan wanted to correct his manners, but she's not much better. Her cheeks are stuffed so full that it's nearly impossible for her to chew, but she's just so _hungry_.

"Which you will find out first thing tomorrow," Shizuru said and pointed a fork at Kazuma. Reigan isn't an architect, but she's built living places before. The house that they're building now is the biggest that she's ever built, and they've been working nonstop for the past week. (Materials are still being delivered, so they work when they have what they need.)

"Aww, come on, I only have a week before I start back." Kazuma turned his pleading eyes to her, but Reigan has to be firm. They've all been working on this new house, and Kazuma should help because it's going to be his home too.

"We're doing brick work. That sounds like fun, right?" Yusuke snorted and nearly started choking, and Hiei rolled his eyes.

"Don't think of it as a chore, Kazuma. It's going to be your new home," Yukina said with a bright smile.

When Reigan first began designing the new home, she made sure there were plenty of bedrooms. There's designated rooms for her, Shizuru, Kazuma, Yusuke, Botan (for when she's visiting), and Hiei (who said he didn't need a room). Yukina was going to be the only one staying at Genkai's, because Genkai said Yukina was the only one she could tolerate having around on a regular basis. The house is being built on the other side of the north forest, before reaching the mountain, so there will be a little over five miles between the temple and their new home. The exterior of the house is mostly going to be brick, and she's trying to make it as modern as possible. With lots of windows.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Kazuma sighed. He should be able to relax on this short break, but they could really use the help. She wants the house built before Genkai runs out of patience. Dinner was finished up quickly, and Hiei offered to help Yukina with the dishes. It's a little odd to see the stoic fire demon doing something so domestic, but she's realized that he'll do anything for his twin sister. Even roll up his sleeves and get sudsy to do the dishes.

"Mother? You had something you wanted to give me and Kazuma?" She snapped to attention at the sound of her daughter's voice, because Hiei's bare forearms are _not_ that appealing. Really.

"Yes! This way." Yusuke and Genkai had walked outside, and she was happy that they were still able to connect. Yusuke still looked at his teacher like she was some kind of alien sometimes, but he's slowly getting used to it. It helps that Genkai's personality is unchanged.

"You got us presents?" Kazuma asked excitedly. She led the way into her room, and she bent over to pull out the trunk she brought from Tourin. She had to stash it under the bed since the closet was so full, and she lightly patted the top. She raised a finger in the universal wait-a-moment position and then moved over to her closet, and she had to dig around for a long time before she found what she was looking for.

"Aha!" She pulled out the small leather pouch, hidden behind a stack of sheets, and walked back over to her bed. She sat down on the bed in front of the trunk, and she was a little surprised when Kazuma and Shizuru sat down on the floor on the other side of the trunk. "You first, Kazuma."

"Uh, what is it?" She had tossed the leather pouch to him, and he was looking down at it like it might bite him.

"Open it, you idiot!" Shizuru yelled. Kazuma turned to glare at her before looking back down at the pouch, and Reigan held her breath as he opened it. He tipped it over, and all Reigan could see at first was the black leather cord coiled on his palm. Then the pendant slipped out.

"Your father braided the cord himself, and the pendant is made from obsidian. It was the first thing he ever crafted." The pendant was a crude carving of a lightning bolt, but it was beautiful in its own way. The bolt changed from a deep black to a glistening gray under the light, and the leather cord that made up the necklace was strong without being bulky.

"His skills had improved by the time he made mine." Shizuru held up her left wrist so that the silver bracelet shone in the light, and Reigan smiled. Eiji made it after they discovered she was having a girl. The silver chain was mostly linked and had four neatly made lightning bolts that were connected, and Shizuru has worn it since she was a little girl. Apparently she wore it even when her memories were changed, and Reigan's glad that she still has it.

"Ma, are you sure? Shouldn't you keep it?" Kazuma was carefully tracing a finger over the pendant, and Reigan shook her head.

"He would have wanted his son to have it, and it will make me happy to know that you have a piece of him with you. His energy went into making those, so that you can keep him close." She had to hold back tears as Kazuma slipped the leather cord over his head, and it fit him perfectly. Just like she knew it would.

"What do I get?" Shizuru asked while Kazuma was still looking down at his necklace. Reigan grinned as she reached down towards the trunk, and she quickly popped the lid. Her children leaned over to look inside, and she smiled as their eyes widened. She didn't bring all of the weapons, that would have been impossible, but she brought some of her favorites.

"I'm not a weapon's master, but I like to dabble. Sometimes Raizen liked to help. We crafted these together, at the same time, in perfect sync. Mostly just to see if we could do it," Reigan explained as she pulled out two identical swords.

The scabbards were a dark green, with dark golden slashes on them. Three sets of three claw marks across the width of the scabbards. The ornament on the white handle was the Tourin crest in dark gold, the same mark on the center of her chest, and the braid of the handle was the same dark green as the scabbard. The cross-guard and butt cap were both black, and the blades were a shining silver. There was also a black cord wrapped around each of the scabbards, that would secure the swords to a belt or even wrap fully around a pair of hips. The swords were created around three thousand years ago, but they look untouched by time.

"These are for me?" Shizuru asked as Reigan handed them over. She laid one sword across her lap, and she drew the other from its scabbard.

"You trained with the bokken before your memories were altered, and you were good. So good that training with just one wasn't enough. We can start training again with one, but I think you'll be able to master two in no time." Shizuru was reverently running her fingers over the sword, and she squinted down at the handle.

"The crest?"

"Huh? What crest?" Kazuma asked as he looked down at the handle too. Reigan's wearing a light gray button-up shirt, and she carefully undid the top few buttons. Just enough to show the dark blue mark over her sternum.

"Raizen had the same mark on his left cheek. We got them after our seals were removed, and it became the Tourin crest." She quickly buttoned her shirt back up, and Shizuru let Kazuma hold the other sword so that he could take a closer look.

"When can we start training?" Shizuru asked.

"When we're not working on the house." Shizuru nodded at that, and Reigan inwardly sighed in relief. Shizuru used to love training, she never wanted to miss a day of it, so she's glad that she's not asking to start right away. "Kazuma, I know you have your spirit sword and don't need any weapons, but you're free to choose something as well. Everything in there was crafted by me or Raizen."

"It's like a treasure chest! But instead of treasure, it's weapons!" Kazuma yelled as he started looking through the trunk. He's not wrong. Shizuru was still petting her swords when Kazuma finally pulled something out of the trunk, and Reigan raised her brows in surprise.

"Roman cesti. Raizen and I saw them in Rome; they were a favorite for the gladiators, deadly in hand to hand combat. They also make for good protection." The leather of the arm guards and cesti was a dark brown, nearly black, and thick. Spikes protrude from the top of the arm guards and along the fingers of each cestus, and the cesti were crafted specially to act more like gloves instead of mittens. There were loops for each finger, for easier mobility, and buckles to hold the gloves and arm guards on.

"Looks like you'd poke an eye out or somethin' with them," Kazuma said as he pinched a glove between two fingers.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, Raizen had a weapon's master modify those. Slip them on." It took a couple of minutes, but Kazuma was able to buckle on the arm guards and cesti. He flexed his arms and fingers, and they were a perfect fit.

"Now what?" he asked.

"The buckle against your wrist? The one that connects the arm guards to the cesti? Press your finger against the buckle and release some of your energy." He turned his right wrist over and pressed his left index finger against the metal buckle against his wrist, and Reigan watched as his golden energy flashed. The leather shrunk until he was wearing a plain dark brown leather bracelet, no wider than one of her fingers, with the metal buckle still against his wrist. He quickly did the same thing with the arm guard and cestus on his left, so that he was just wearing two leather bracelets instead.

"Secret weapons for the win!" He pumped a fist in the air, and the leather bracelet didn't move a centimeter.

"I don't suppose the swords have a magical shrinking button?" Shizuru asked and looked up at her.

"Afraid not, but they still look cool." Kazuma laughed as Shizuru smiled at her, and Reigan felt herself relax just a little. She was hoping that they would like their presents, and they didn't let her down.

 **.xXx.**

"Take that back, Urameshi!" Yusuke made a rude gesture in Kuwabara's direction, and the two of them took off running to the other side of the framework. It's like working with children.

"Behave, you two! And be careful!" Reigan called out. She was holding a pile of bricks in her arms, piled so high that Hiei could barely see the top of her head, but her voice carried.

"Okay, Ma!"

"Whatever, Auntie Rei!"

"I swear, those two act like they'll never grow up," Reigan huffed as she set the bricks down next to him. The house is still far from being built, but they're working at a steady pace. Well, some of them are.

"Because they are both fools. The detective and the oaf." Dark blue eyes glared over at him, and he raised a brow at her in question.

"That's my son you're talking about. Say one more mean thing, and I'll have to introduce your face to a hard surface." All of the others were standing far away from them, far enough away that they couldn't be overheard, so he decided to test her threat.

"I don't care whose son he is. He's still an oaf." He froze as the crunching sound of his broken nose filled his ears, because Reigan's bare foot was pressed flat against his face. She kicked him in the face! Hard enough to break his nose! And she has yet to remove her foot. He reached up to grab her ankle and pull her foot away from his tender nose, and he snarled at her smiling face.

"I gave you a fair warning. Now let me go so I can set your nose." Hot blood is trickling over his lips and dripping off his chin, and she's smiling at him like nothing happened.

"The nose that you broke?" He tossed her ankle away from him, and she swayed on her other foot for a moment before righting herself. Once she was standing still, she stepped up to him and lightly cupped his face.

"I know you called him names and sometimes used physical violence as a way to toughen him up, because he was a human on a team of demons fighting against other demons. You needed him to be strong, to keep all of you alive, and it became a habit after that. But I know, deep down, that you respect him. You started to respect him during the Dark Tournament, but you really began to respect his strength when you fought against Sensui. So, I get it. Habits and all." She was standing so close to him that he could feel her breath against his chin, and she was talking so quietly that he had to lean forward just a little bit more to hear her. That's when she snapped his nose back into place.

"Damn it, woman! You could have warned me!" His nose was realigned and already starting to heal, and she just shrugged at him. "If you get it, why did you break my nose?"

"Because no one talks about my son like that." She used the sleeve of her thin black sweater to clean the blood off his face, and he was forced to stand still as she removed the blood.

"Oh my!" He turned his eyes towards the voice, but he couldn't turn his head because Reigan had a strong hold on his jaw to keep him from moving.

"Brother, are you alright?" Botan and Yukina were standing just outside of the tree line, so they must have just come from Genkai's. They were also each holding a large basket, with what smelled like food inside. He could hear Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Shizuru getting closer too.

"Hiei! What happened to your face?!" Yusuke yelled. Reigan was still scrubbing the blood off his chin, and he wrinkled his still aching nose when she licked her thumb to get rid of a troublesome spot of blood.

"It was my fault. Hiei was walking behind me, and I almost tripped. I managed not to fall, but he crashed his nose into the back of my head. There! All clean!" Reigan stepped back away from him, and Hiei held still as Yukina carefully inspected his nose.

"I'm fine," he reassured her. She looked at him for a moment longer but then decided he was fine, and he reached up to wipe at his own chin. He's not some child that needs to be cleaned up after.

"We brought lunch for everybody!" Botan called out. Probably to make up for the sudden silence.

"I'm starving!" Yusuke and Kuwabara exclaimed at the same time. Botan and Yukina were setting out a blanket and dishes of food, and everyone lowered themselves down onto the blanket. Hiei took the food that Yukina offered him and moved to sit in a tree, where he could still see everyone, and he closed his eyes as he ate.

"Will you be staying with us, Botan?" Reigan asked. The demon was probably devouring a whole basket by herself, so Hiei hopes they prepared extra.

"I just received approval from Lord Koenma to remain in Human World for as long as I want." The reaper sounded happy, so it's a good thing that Reigan's house plans already included a room for the overly bubbly woman.

"That's great! After we get finished today, we can talk about your room." Reigan sounded like she was talking with her mouth full, so at least now he knows where Yusuke and Kuwabara get their table manners from.

"Mother's already planning several shopping trips to furnish the place," Shizuru clarified. He could hear excited clapping coming from below him, and he would have rolled his eyes if they had been open.

 **May 1996**

"It's nearly done," Reigan said as she lowered herself down. Genkai was sitting on the temple steps, so Reigan sat down next to her. It's been about two months since everything happened, and they've all gotten more used to everything. Yusuke is used to having her around and even calls her "auntie" consistently, Shizuru is happy to have her back and to be training again, Kazuma calls her every other night to tell her about his days and classes, Hiei has actual conversations with her sometimes, Yukina and Botan both ask her about the things she's seen and help her plan the interior of the new house, and Genkai has slowly begun to accept her new fate. Everyone else is slowly getting used to it as well.

"It'll be nice to finally have some peace and quiet in here. Your nephew has a loud mouth."

"He's your student," Reigan quickly countered. Genkai huffed but didn't argue, because Reigan knows that Genkai loves Yusuke. Even if he can be a handful sometimes.

"Do you think there was a purpose to this? Some fate that I don't know about?" Genkai's hair has grown a little longer, nearly past her shoulder blades, and Reigan is waiting to see if she's going to cut it or start braiding it again.

"I don't know. I haven't seen anything." She also hasn't tried to. She still hears whispers, catches glimpses of futures, but she hasn't felt anything too strong since being released. There was just the vision she got when they met with Enma, but she was only able to see that so clearly because of King Enma's divine influence. He wanted her to see, focused on it hard enough and loud enough for her to see. Then there was that moment with the Jagan, when it influenced Hiei's emotions, but she thinks that had more to do with the Jagan than her own abilities. She's caught glimpses of the present, like when she dreamed of Hiei and Genkai's conversation after Genkai raged against her, but that's it.

"Would you look if I asked you to?" She met Genkai's honey eyes, and eyes that young shouldn't look so burdened.

"Anything for you, Kai." When Genkai just kept staring at her, Reigan sighed and held her hands out. "Hold on tight and try to keep your mind clear. If you're focusing on too many things, I won't be able to see a clear path. I still might not be able to see your path, because the choice might not have been presented yet."

"It's like going to a fortune teller," Genkai muttered as their hands clasped together. Reigan closed her eyes and focused her energy, and she felt Genkai's energy brush against her own. Kai is so strong…stronger than even some of the S-Class demons. It's practically unheard of for a human to be this strong.

 _Screams. Fire. Blood._

 _Silence. Warmth. Emptiness._

 _Roars. Rain. Flesh._

 _Three paths, three outcomes, one choice._

 _Love._

 _Guilt._

 _Regret._

"Holy shit, my head!" Reigan groaned and let go of Genkai's hands. She pressed her fingers against her temples and gently rubbed at the ache there, and her stomach rolled. If she's not careful, that delicious dinner she finished a couple of hours ago is going to come back up.

"What did all of that mean?" Genkai asked after a few moments. Oh, good, she was able to speak while locked inside of those images. Such horrible images.

"It's pretty simple actually. You're going to have a choice between three different destinies. The first destiny will be heralded by screams, fire, and blood. That destiny will eventually lead you to love. What kind of love? I have no idea. The second destiny is one of silence, warmth, and emptiness. That destiny is full of guilt; it left a bitter taste on the back of my tongue. The third destiny is of roars, rain, and flesh. I've got no idea what that means, but that destiny ends in regret. I don't know when you'll have to choose, or even why, but that's what I saw."

"Whatever this destiny is, I'll have to be strong." Strong…as in her prime.

"I've never seen that, Kai. If I knew this would happen, I never would have let you take my energy." Genkai smiled at her, a little sadly, as she slowly got to her feet. She rested her left hand on her shoulder, and Reigan looked over at the shining ring.

"I know, Rei. It's just good to know that there's some kind of purpose to all of this. Now I know to be on the lookout for screams, fire, and blood." They both laughed a little at that, because they've seen plenty of all three over the years, and Genkai said a quiet goodnight before going back inside the temple. Reigan stayed where she was and waited.

"Have you tried looking at our future?" She didn't have to wait for long. Hiei was sitting on the railing, so she had to tip her head back to look at him. For once, he was already looking down at her.

"No." His eyes narrowed, and she swiftly got to her feet. This conversation isn't going to last long, and she's tired.

"Why not? You claim that we have a future, so why not see what it is?" She moved over to stand in front of him, and she resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. Neither one of them is ready for that yet.

"Because I want it to be a surprise." She grinned as she said it, and she blew him a quick kiss before darting back into the temple. She has to get up early to work on the house tomorrow, so she doesn't have time to tease Hiei tonight. She'll save that for later.

 **July 1996**

It's been nearly four months since she was released from the statue, and things have settled down. The house was recently completed, and she can admit that they all went a little overboard on shopping for furnishings. Her and Botan were probably the worst, but the others weren't much better. Everyone got very specific with their bedrooms, and they argued over what to do with the extra rooms. The boys got an arcade in the attic, the girls got a large den on the first floor with floor-length windows, a library was built over the den with the same floor-length windows, and there was a training center that took up the whole basement. The dining room was large, much larger than it needed to be, and surrounded by floor-length windows that could easily be opened. The kitchen was completely modern, and the whole house was surrounded by nature. By trees and flowers. Reigan made it so that her bedroom, on the second floor where most of the bedrooms were, was right next to her lilac tree. If she stepped out onto the balcony connected to her bedroom, she'd be able to reach out and touch the blooms.

"I still think the house is excessive." She wasn't surprised that Hiei was sitting out on her balcony, because that's how he normally comes into her room. They're still friends, and only friends, but they talk regularly. Hiei has a room in the house, but she knows that he still spends most night sleeping out on a tree branch.

"It's smaller than Tourin's palace. Now come inside and tell me I'm pretty." She's in her bathroom, carefully putting her braided her up into an intricate bun that Botan taught her, but she still clearly heard Hiei's sigh.

"Am I obligated to lie to you as your friend?" He's actually in her bedroom now but still can't see her. If she had to guess, he's probably standing in front of her weapon's wall. It's his favorite place to look at in her room. Then again, her weapon's wall is impressive. It spans one entire wall, and she's got just about every weapon imaginable.

"Yes. If you call me ugly, I'm allowed to slap you and start crying." They're going to King Enki's palace today, for her celebration. Shizuru and Kazuma were excited about going, and everyone else is going too. Yusuke, Botan, Yukina, and Kurama are all coming with them. So everyone except for Genkai, who is planning on enjoying the complete solitude while they're away.

"Friends should be honest with each other. What's the point otherwise?" She's dressed in the dark blue dress that she bought months ago; the one with the small white daises and brown leather belt. The belt isn't sturdy enough to hold her naginata, but she has her dagger holstered high up on her thigh under the dress. Since she doesn't have to hide her collar anymore, she doesn't mind that the top of the dress dips down low enough to show the dark blue mark on her chest. She's proud to show off Tourin's crest.

"Because sometimes a woman just wants to hear that she looks pretty, so you better tell Yukina the same thing when you see her." She stepped out of the bathroom once she was happy with her hair, and she twirled around so that Hiei could see her.

"Is that another weapon on your thigh?" She hiked up the dress a little, not high enough to be inappropriate, and patted the holster carrying her dagger.

"Better safe than sorry," she admitted. Yeah, they're going to see her friends, but she's always felt better with some kind of blade on her.

"Your other thigh." She looked away from her left thigh, where the dagger was holstered, and over at her right thigh. A branch with lilac blooms circles around her right thigh, and she gently traced a finger over the tattoo. The branch is black, and the flowers are white. It's the only marking on her body that she actually chose and is an actual tattoo.

"No, I got this around a hundred years ago. The priestesses planted lilac trees to honor me, along with the villagers, so I got this to honor them."

"I keep the flowers on me at all times. That is what the vision said." The vision…right. The vision that the Jagan showed him of her mentioned the lilac trees, but she forgot about that line. She didn't even realize it meant the tattoo circling around her thigh.

"Sometimes I think your Jagan is a better seer than I am. Now, do you have something to say to me?" She let the dress fall back down around her thighs, effectively covering the tattoo and the dagger. Hiei crossed his arms as he looked her over, from her carefully put up hair to the brown sandals that wrapped around her feet and ankles.

"Acceptable." He smirked as he said it, and she lightly punched his shoulder. Just hard enough to make him rock back on his heels.

"Ass. At least I made an effort." He looked down at himself and then back at her before shrugging, and she rolled her eyes. Such a stubborn demon. She did happily note that he was wearing the things that she bought for him. A pair of the black denim jeans, one of the sleeveless dark blue shirts, and he's been wearing the new boots she bought. She saw his smile the first time that he kicked Yusuke with the steel-toes, so she knows the boots are appreciated. The only other things he was wearing was the white bandage around his head and the white bandages that covered his right arm.

"Can we go now?" The demon also has little to no patience.

"Yeah, let's go see if everyone else is ready. I hope I can fit everyone on the feather," she mumbled as she walked out of her room. Hiei followed her down the stairs and into the den, where they all agreed to meet, and the boys were already there.

"Lookin' good, Ma!" Kazuma was the first one to notice them enter, and Yusuke and Kurama turned to look at them.

"You tryin' to impress an old friend tonight, Auntie Rei?" Yusuke asked with a grin. Kazuma hit him in the back of the head, but it didn't seem to have any effect on her thick skulled nephew.

"Women don't dress up to impress men. They do it to feel pretty," she said as she walked farther into the room. It's the homiest room in the house, because the dark blue carpet is thick and there's comfortable places to sit everywhere. Couches, loveseats, chairs, and even a few beanbag chairs are spread throughout the room. The boys are standing in front of the giant windows though.

"I still think it looks lovely on you, Reigan."

"Thank you, Kurama." He was there when she decided to buy it, but it's always nice to receive a compliment. "I see you boys put in as much effort as Hiei here. Except for you, Kurama. You look gorgeous."

"Does that mean you dressed up for Kurama?" Kazuma hit Yusuke again, but it still didn't have much of an impact. Kazuma and Yusuke are both wearing blue jeans, thankfully clean and without any holes, and their usual sneakers. Kazuma's black tee shirt had some kind of band logo on it, and Yusuke's white shirt has the sleeves ripped off. Kurama, on the other hand, was dressed like a casual gentleman. Shiny dark brown shoes, light cream colored slacks, a green button-up shirt a few shades lighter than his eyes, and a dark brown vest over that.

"I dressed up for me," she clarified. Again. Kurama is a gorgeous man, there's no doubt about that, but she's not attracted to him. No, her attraction is to a stubborn fire demon that constantly reminds her that they're just friends.

"Oh, Rei, you look beautiful! I knew that dress would look perfect on you!" Reigan turned around to watch the girls enter, and they're all dressed in sundresses similar to hers. At least she won't stand out.

Botan's dress is striped, a soft pink color and light gray color, and the sleeves just barely cover the top of her shoulders. The bottom of the dress flares around her thighs at a modest length, and the brown belt around her waist is a light brown and has a little bow at the front. Her shoes match the belt. Shizuru's dress is a dark green and shorter than Botan's, and tighter, but it's covered by flowing lace. The straps are thin, but the front of the dress doesn't dip too low. She's also wearing black heeled boots that nearly reach her knees, so her daughter really is towering over her now. Yukina's dress is the most modest of theirs, but she still looks beautiful. The mint green dress touches the tops of her knees and is covered by lace; the shoulder straps and the top of the dress are just lace, and there's a wide belt just a few shades lighter than the dress around her waist. Her shoes are the same color and flat, and she's still wearing her snowflake earrings and charm bracelet. She'd been very specific about that charm bracelet; it only has snowflakes and little fires on it. She can also see the strap of her necklace, but the tear gem is hidden beneath the dress.

"Thanks! All of you look absolutely lovely as well, right, boys?" Kazuma and Yusuke instantly started stammering out compliments, and Kurama took turns telling each woman how beautiful she was. Reigan stomped her foot down on Hiei's, but she'd be surprised if he felt it through those thick boots of his.

"Yes, you look lovely." Hiei only looked at Yukina as he said it, and the ice maiden's smile was so sweet and genuine. Well, at least Hiei knows how to compliment someone, and Yukina needs the confidence. She's such a beautiful young woman.

"Can we go now?" Yusuke asked and looked at her.

"It's my party, so it's not like I can be late," Reigan pointed out.

"Oh! Can't we take a picture first? Since most of us dressed up?" Botan glared over at Kazuma and Yusuke as she asked it, but the two of them just grinned at her.

"I've got a camera, but who's going to take it?" She's taken several pictures over the past few months, because she wants to keep up the habit of recording everything.

"I bet Master Genkai will!" Botan looked so excited, and Reigan didn't want to turn her down. She hurried back upstairs to grab one of her cameras, because she keeps several at a time, and she quickly raced back to the den. She ushered everyone outside, and it took some concentration to get her feather long enough to comfortably fit everyone. There's going to be eight of them flying on the thing, but she's pretty sure that she can pull it off.

"Don't come back for a few days," Genkai said as she handed the camera up to her. The psychic took several pictures, at Botan's request, and Reigan smiled as she passed the camera to Botan.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be gone long enough for you to enjoy plenty of silence. Hey, Botan, you can use that to take as many pictures as you want." The reaper squealed as she held the camera to her chest, and Reigan laughed as the feather moved off. This should be interesting.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** Another chapter down! I liked this chapter because it shows how everyone is starting to settle down. For the more visual people, I've put up links on my profile page for some of the things in this chapter. Like Kuwabara and Shizuru's presents, the new house, and the dresses. I also put some of the images from older chapters up too, because I like visuals.

If there's any questions about anything, I'd be happy to answer them!

 **Kuesuno:** Yeah, I've read that Koto, Juri, and Ruka teamed up together and got very popular because of their TV show. I haven't read the manga though, so I'm not exactly sticking to canon. I do like the idea of them all together though. I'm glad you liked the chapter! It's like Hiei said though, Genkai isn't immortal so she isn't going to live forever. She's just going to be around for a while. There's a plan for Genkai, as foreshadowed in this chapter. Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** I think that giving up her chance at resting, at dying of old age, is one of the biggest sacrifices that Genkai could make. She didn't choose it, but she's stuck like this. I have some really good Genkai scenes planned for later on, because I've always wanted to really get into her head. (Did that sound weird? I feel like that sounded weird.) Keiko! One day, I'll write a story that has Keiko in it full-time. I do have a Keiko-Yusuke scene planned, but I can't decide on where to stick it. They will have a talk eventually though. Promise. (Also, I promise that I will reply to our epic message before the end of the month. lol. Classes are really keeping me busy right now, but I haven't forgotten!) Thank you for the review!

 **Melody-Ravenwood:** I'm glad you liked the Genkai part! I was really nervous about posting the last chapter because I wasn't sure about how people would react to the new Genkai situation. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** I've always thought that younger Genkai had a temper, and I think anyone would be super cranky if they were just given news like that. I'm not a huge Ruka fan either, but I like the idea of the three of them working together. Haha, the big celebration will be in the next chapter, but I will tell you that it's a Tourin celebration. That's one of my favorite things to write, so there'll be a few of them. Thank you for the review!


	15. Like She Needs Him

**Author's Note:** Okay, this one is four days behind schedule. Whoops. So I'm updating today, and I'll update again next Sunday since I've been falling behind schedule. Enjoy the chapter!

 **Post Date:** 22 September 2016

 **Word Count:** 5640

 ****EDIT**  
** Two typing mistakes were corrected, thanks to _**bubbles22293**_. I always seem to miss something, so thank you for letting me know! This is why I need a beta reader. Any takers?

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen  
** **Like She Needs Him**

"And you called our house excessive?" Reigan is sitting at the very front of the feather, and Hiei's sitting just behind her. The others are sitting closer to the center of the feather and talking excitedly about the party they're heading to.

"Enki is King of Demon World. It makes sense for him to have a true palace." He actually doesn't think the house is excessive. It's large enough for them all to exist peacefully in, which means that he can easily avoid the other inhabitants whenever he chooses to do so.

"This palace is even bigger than Tourin's. I bet it takes a year to clean the place." The King's palace is large; wide and tall, with towers at regular intervals.

"Jealous?" She looked over her shoulder at him, and she smiled large enough to show her fangs.

"Nah, Tourin's palace has more of a nature vibe to it. Enki's palace is a little too clean cut for my tastes." They were getting closer to the ground now, close to the front gates, and the sky above them has darkened into a deep purple. They're right on time. Once everyone was on the ground, Reigan replaced the feather in her arm and squared her shoulders. Was she nervous? From what he's heard, and from what she's told him, she hasn't seen any of her old friends since Raizen sent them away a thousand years ago. They seemed happy about her return, except for maybe Kokou, but it must be odd to reunite with someone after so many years.

"Rei!" Enki met them just inside the palace, alone, and he swept Reigan up into his arms. She laughed as she hugged him, and Hiei thought he saw Enki's eyes start to shine. If this party turns into some kind of crying fest, he's leaving.

"Enki!" Their hands stayed clasped after Enki set her back on the ground, and Reigan looked over her shoulder. First at Shizuru and then at Kuwabara. Her children stepped forward, and Reigan introduced them to the King.

"I always knew you'd make a good mother someday," Enki said after the introductions. Reigan let go of him to grab her children's hands, and Enki smiled down at all of them before clapping his hands. "Everyone is here, so let's not keep them waiting!"

"That is one big demon," Kuwabara whispered.

"Yeah, and he packs a punch like a wrecking ball," Yusuke whispered back. Enki led them into a large ballroom, and there were a lot of demons gathered. He recognized most of them, but there were a few unfamiliar faces as well.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite dance partner!" Reigan's wrist was grabbed and she was spun out onto the floor, and Souketsu easily dipped her. "Finally decide to come out of hidin'?"

"Who said I was hiding?" Souketsu pulled her back up, and Kuwabara and Shizuru went to stand next to her before they were surrounded. Hiei quickly lost track of her, but he still had eyes on Yukina. She was standing with Botan and talking to the three reporters, which could lead to danger but was probably the safest place for her here.

"She looks exactly as I remember her. Less weapons." He looked next to him at Mukuro, but she was looking into the swarm of demons. He could hear the excited chatter and the loud greetings, and he could see a flash of Reigan's dark blue dress from time to time.

"She's always armed." The dagger on her thigh can't be seen, but she doesn't need any extra weapons. The vine on her arm is deadly enough.

"Was that a pun?" Mukuro was smirking at him, so he didn't answer her. Just continued to watch as Demon World's strongest fighters laughed and joked, and he made sure that the three reporters didn't get his sister into any trouble. After a half hour of talking, Enki's loud booming voice called for dancing. Drinks were passed around as music started playing, and the group separated enough so that they could dance.

"No, I don't dance! I said I don't dance!" Yusuke yelled as Botan dragged him onto the dance floor. A tall eagle demon was pulling on Kuwabara, who was blushing but still going along with her, and Shizuru was dancing with Kurama. Most of the females were dancing, and he didn't want his sister to be left out. She deserves to have fun; something that wasn't allowed on that island. Touya started to walk by them, and he called out the ice demon's name. Touya's respectful enough, and Hiei can just kill him if he does anything to hurt Yukina.

"Yes, Lord Hiei?" He could feel Mukuro looking at him curiously, but he ignored her and met Touya's eyes instead. Commanding him won't work, but he can ask. For Yukina.

"Will you ask my sister to dance?" The words felt foreign on his tongue, wrong, but his sister deserves to be happy. To have fun. Reigan said that girls like to dance and feel pretty.

"May I ask who your sister is?" He looked over at where Yukina was standing, flanked by Koto and Juri, and Touya followed his gaze.

"Her name is Yukina." Juri was glaring across the room at Kujou, who was mouthing something at the koi demon, and Koto was lightly bouncing in place as she talked to Yukina.

"It would be my honor, Lord Hiei." He watched as Touya approached Yukina and grit his teeth as he extended a hand towards her, but he relaxed a fraction as a smile lit up his sister's face. He made the right decision.

"That's something I never thought I'd see." He doesn't owe Mukuro an explanation.

"She deserves to be normal, to be happy," he bit out. Jin swept Koto up into the air and started to dance with her, and Juri crossed the room to yell at Kujou. It looks like Touya got to Yukina just in time.

"Yes, she does," Mukuro quietly agreed.

"Mukuro! It's been far too long, my lord." Reigan was grinning and out of breath, and the tops of her cheeks were flushed red. She bowed at the waist to Mukuro but kept eye contact, and Hiei felt genuine shock when Mukuro laughed.

"I should have known you were still alive. You always were the stubborn type." Reigan straightened up, and she extended one hand towards Mukuro.

"That I am, so how about a dance? I'll let you lead." Mukuro took Reigan's hand, and the two Mazoku demons twirled out onto the dance floor. He didn't even know that Mukuro could dance, but she's doing very well. Too well.

He watched them all dance for another few minutes and then slipped out of the large room. There were too many people packed into the room, too much noise, and it felt like he couldn't breathe. He found an open balcony, and he leaned his back against the railing. His eyes closed as the Jagan opened, and he kept a close watch on everything. Touya and Yukina had moved into another dance, and Mukuro was now dancing with Souketsu. Reigan was dancing with Kuwabara. Yusuke was boxed in by Botan, Shizuru, Koto, and Ruka. Kurama was dancing with the Queen, while Enki looked on and laughed. Kokou was mostly propped up against Kurama and just swaying against him, so it made for an entertaining sight.

Watching became tedious after a while, and he closed the Jagan so that he could properly clear his mind. He spent several minutes just looking at the sky, committing the sight to memory, because he hasn't been to the Demon World in months. Not since he brought Reigan here to keep her from blowing herself up. He eventually became bored and started back towards the ballroom, but he stopped when he heard voices. Reigan and Kokou. They were just around the corner and talking at a normal volume, so he could hear them clearly. Kokou sounded perfectly lucid, not drunk at all, and he couldn't read Reigan's emotions from her tone. It sounded like she was trying to apologize to Kokou for something, but he couldn't tell what.

"Don't you say sorry to me! I have to sit across a table from the demon that killed Taiyo, and now I have to look at you too!" Taiyo…She was the Demon Lord of Gandara before Yomi.

"I know losing your cousin couldn't have been easy, and I was just saying sorry for your loss! Since it's something that I can understand." He didn't know that Taiyo was Kokou's cousin, or that Yomi killed Taiyo to take her position.

"Why apologize to me? You have always hated me! I was with your brother for nearly three thousand years, and you never once accepted me! Why?!" He heard the thud of flesh hitting stone, and he opened his Jagan to see what was happening. Kokou had Reigan pressed against the wall, and the Queen's forearm was pressed across Reigan's collarbones.

"Because the first time I saw you, you were crying." Reigan's body was pinned to the wall by Kokou's, and she had to strain to lift her head up enough to meet the taller woman's eyes.

"The first time we met was on a battlefield. I was surrounded by the dead and laughing." Kokou's teeth were bared, and this is the most serious he's ever seen the Queen.

"That was the first time you saw me. I saw you years earlier. Kneeling in the snow, stone cold sober, and crying. Silently. Steadily. You were broken, and you only said one word. _Raizen_." Reigan hissed her brother's name, and Kokou stumbled back. Reigan slumped against the wall as Kokou pressed her hands to her stomach, and the Queen did look a little green.

"That was months after he forced us to leave. It was so cold, but I couldn't feel anything. I wanted to die, but Enki kept me alive. He saved me. You're telling me that you pushed me away because you saw me crying over your brother?" Kokou was propped up against the opposite wall, and Reigan slowly nodded.

"I didn't know the specifics. If I did, I would have chained him to that throne and never let him back into the Human World. All I knew was that he was going to break you. I believed that if I could make you leave him first, you might be spared. Then that day came…you grabbed me and begged me to save him, but I couldn't. I knew then why I saw you crying." He shouldn't be listening to this; he shouldn't be seeing this.

"And you couldn't have just told me that instead of being a colossal bitch?"

"Would you have believed me?" Kokou's laugh was hollow, and Reigan's dark eyes watched her as she straightened up. The Queen's back arched as she took a long drink from the bottle attached to her wrist, and she looked back at Reigan once the bottle was lowered.

"Probably not. It doesn't change anything. He's still gone, and we're still here." Reigan's body jerked like she'd been hit, and the muscle in her jaw clenched as she took in a deep breath. "That nephew of yours…looks just like him. He's lighter than Raizen was but strong. Tell me the truth, Rei. Does it hurt when you look at him?"

"Sometimes. I walked up on him humming a few weeks back, and it felt like being stabbed." He didn't know that. He never really saw Raizen, so he doesn't know how strong the resemblance is. And what does humming have to do with anything?

"Good." Kokou started to walk off, but she stopped after a few steps. "You can't save everyone, Rei. No one can. I know that now."

"Doesn't stop us from trying."

"Try not to be a stranger. As your Queen, I command you to visit at least twice a year. Distract the minions for me." Reigan laughed quietly as Kokou walked away, but she stayed slumped against the wall. He thought she was just regrouping, but she was looking down the hallway. Towards him. She's waiting on him. He closed the Jagan before walking around the corner, and her eyes met his instantly.

"Humming?" he asked her. There's no point in trying to deny that he listened to their whole conversation, so he's not going to.

"Raizen hated singing, but he loved to hum. I can't count how many times I fell asleep listening to him, both as a human and as a demon." She straightened up as he walked closer to her, and she smoothed down the top of her dress. It got ruffled when Kokou pinned her with a forearm.

"I won't tell anyone what I heard." She nodded at him in gratitude and then held out her hand, and he looked down at her callused palm.

"Dance with me? Just this once?" Her fingers were shaking, just a little, and he reached for her hand.

"As friends," he reminded her. She smiled as their fingers laced, and he can't feel the shakes anymore. Her hand is steady.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Nearly everyone in the ballroom was well on their way to being drunk and dancing to the loud music, so the two of them went unnoticed. The song was a slow one, and Hiei had to take a quick step to the left to avoid being hit by Kujou and Juri. The two of them were doing a very angry version of a tango. Reigan pulled him off to the side, away from the center but still technically on the dance floor, and then wrapped her arms completely around his neck. His arms moved around her back, just above her hips, and she laid her head against his shoulder. She was pressed up tight against him as they spun slowly to the music, and his cheek was nearly pressed against the top of her head. She didn't wear any kind of heavy perfumes, so all he could smell was stone and lilac.

"Don't fall asleep." She was leaning heavily against him, so much so that he was practically holding up her entire weight.

"But you're so warm." The words were whispered against his neck, and her breath felt cool against his skin. She pulled back to look up at him, and her smile was small and sad. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten. We're just friends. I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"You don't have to stay here for them. You can rest and visit later." Her arms are still wrapped tightly around his neck, and he can feel her thigh holster.

"Can we dance for just a little bit longer? Just until the end of the song?" Her conversation with Kokou must have done a number on her, because she's never looked at him like this before. Like she needs him.

"Until the end of the song." She smiled before dropping her head back onto his shoulder, and he tightened his hold just a little bit more. They can dance until the end of the song and then he's letting her go.

 **.xXx.**

"I did not know that demons partied this hard," Yusuke slurred. He's lying across a table, he thinks it's the table that Jin and Souketsu danced on, with his head pillowed on Botan's lap. The reaper is absently petting his hair and looking out across the ballroom with a dopey smile on her face.

"It was a good party. My feet hurt!" No one should sound that happy about hurting feet, but Botan's weird like that.

"Did you get lots of pictures?" He remembers his auntie handing over the camera to Botan before they left the temple, and he's pretty sure he remembers seeing little flashes throughout the night.

"Mhmm, I sure did! I think I'll make a scrapbook." She tapped her chin as she said it, and he rubbed the back of his head against her knee. That was all it took to get her hand back in his hair, and he closed his eyes as he crossed his legs at his ankles. A few demons are passed out around the ballroom, but he knows there's bedrooms that they can use. He'll go find one just as soon as his legs start working again.

"Come on, Yusuke. Time for bed." He opened his eyes as Kuwabara lifted him up, and he swayed back and forth once he was on his feet. Kuwabara grabbed one of his arms and wrapped it around his neck, and he moved one of his arms behind Yusuke's back.

"You too, Blue," Shizuru said and helped Botan off the table. Shizuru had to hold the reaper up the same way that Kuwabara was keeping him on his feet, and Yusuke's head swiveled to the side. Kurama and Yukina were standing on their own, and his auntie was actually slung over Hiei's shoulder. He must have looked confused, because Hiei answered Yusuke's question before he could ask it.

"She had a drinking contest with Chu and Kokou. She came in second." A giggle came from behind Hiei, so his auntie is still conscious. That's good.

"Ours rooms are this way." Kurama led the way, and Yusuke was barely able to thank Kuwabara for carrying him around before passing out.

 **.xXx.**

"Does anyone else feel like they got hit by Enki?" Reigan groaned out. Several hands at the breakfast table were raised, and there was also a lot of laughter. Reigan was happy to note that most of the people at the breakfast table were just as hungover as she was, so she's not alone in this.

"I guess that means I have to cancel this afternoon's entertainment," Enki sighed. Reigan perked up at that and looked down the table at her old friend, and there's a special glint in his eyes. He can't possibly mean…can he?

"Battle royal?" she asked. It's something they used to do in the old days, and it's been a very long time since she let loose like that.

"No weapons. Just fists and energy," Enki said and grinned.

"Unless you think you're too rusty," Souketsu said and pointed at her.

"I can still kick your ass," she replied.

"Can anyone join?" Yomi asked.

"And what are the rules?" Mukuro asked. Ooh, this might be a very fun day after all.

"A ring will be created. Anyone tossed out of the ring is out. Anyone that uses a weapon is out. Anyone down for more than five seconds is out. Last one standing in the ring wins," Enki explained. It was simple, and it was a good way to train. Strength, endurance, stamina…all of it was tested.

"Oh! I'll be the referee!" Koto yelled excitedly.

"After lunch, the fight will begin. Anyone who wants to join in, you're welcome to!" Enki called out. After lunch, huh? Her hangover should be more manageable by then.

 **.xXx.**

"They all look so happy," Yukina said quietly. Below them, a large circle had been drawn in the grass with Kazuma's spirit sword. So many fighters were in the center of the ring, and it was hard to keep track of everyone. She could clearly hear the laughter though, so they had to be enjoying themselves.

"They're always happy when they're fighting," Botan said with a bright smile. The two of them were on a balcony overseeing the fight, along with Juri and Ruka. Juri and Ruka were mostly focused on the fight, and Koto was nearby and keeping close tabs on everything.

"Aaaand the first fighter out is…Tetsuzan!" Koto announced. It was like being back at the Dark Tournament, but there was less malice in the air.

"So, did you have fun last night?" Botan asked her. They were both still looking down at the fighters, and Yukina looked away from where her brother was fighting against Souketsu. Touya was fighting nearby, against Natsume, and she felt warmth rush into her cheeks as she remembered dancing with him the night before. He'd been so kind to her. When he asked her questions, he really listened to her answers.

"I did. Did you?" She saw glimpses of Botan throughout the night, and her friend was smiling every time she saw her.

"Yep! We made Yusuke dance all night!" Botan said with a giggle. Ruka and Juri giggled along with her, and she does remember seeing Yusuke surrounded by several female demons.

"The Lord of Tourin can really get down after a few drinks," Ruka said between laughs.

"He just needs to loosen up some," Botan said and waved a hand. Yukina didn't want to contradict her friend, but he looked plenty loosened up right now. He was fighting against Yomi and Chu, at the same time, and laughing. Loudly.

"Who do you think will win?" Juri asked.

"With that lot? There's no telling," Botan said and leaned her elbows against the railing.

Koto called out several more names as the fight continued on, until finally only two were left. Shizuru and Enki. Shizuru is tall for a female, but Enki is a massive demon. Shizuru didn't seem fazed by his size, and Yukina didn't know that Shizuru could move that quickly. She was able to dodge Enki's punches and was even quick enough to land a few blows on his torso, and all of the disqualified fighters were standing around the ring and cheering. Well, most of them were cheering. Koto was calling out the fight blow-by-blow, and Yukina's eyes widened as Shizuru leapt into the air to deliver a powerful kick to the side of Enki's head.

"…Three! Four! Five! King Enki is down for the count, and we have our winner! Shizuru!" Below them, Reigan skipped back into the ring and wrapped her arms around her daughter's waist. Congratulating her on her win.

"You go, Shizuru!" Botan yelled and pumped her fist in the air. "Let's go congratulate the winner, hmm?"

"Yes, we should," Yukina said with a smile. Shizuru defeated the King of Demon World, so she's earned some praise.

 **.xXx.**

"You should have seen her, Kai! One kick right to his head, and the big guy went down hard! It was beautiful," Reigan recounted and slumped back in her seat. They stayed in Demon World for a total of two weeks, but Shizuru's victory over King Enki was the highlight of their stay. Hiei can admit that.

"How many times are you going to tell that story, Mother?" Shizuru was smiling as she asked it, and he noticed that Genkai raised her teacup to hide her smile.

"Until I run out of breath. Both of you stayed in the ring longer than I did, and I couldn't be more proud." Reigan turned her head to smile at Kuwabara as well, and he reached up to rub the back of his neck. Kuwabara and Yusuke had both fallen out of the ring at the same time, because they were grappling, but they still made it close to the end. Hiei went after them. Then Mukuro. Then it was just Shizuru and Enki.

"So that's how demons celebrate? They drink, dance, and fight?" Genkai asked.

"Essentially, yeah." Two weeks of dancing, mostly outside after that first night, and the dancing usually turned into fighting at some point. Hiei's not sure how any of them are still standing. Reigan treated it as a normal thing, so it's something they must have done at least semi-regularly back in the old days. Even Mukuro looked unsurprised at everything that happened.

"Explains your lack of brain cells." Reigan pouted at Genkai as she leaned back in her chair, but she didn't say anything. Genkai might be on to something. After all the drinking and direct hits to the head, many of them might have some kind of brain damage by now.

"Well, I had fun," Yusuke said and leaned his chair back.

"I'm sure you did," Genkai said and narrowed her eyes. Yusuke just kept grinning.

They spent the rest of dinner telling Genkai all their separate stories of the past two weeks, and the psychic listened with a small smile. Sometimes he can still see the rage in her eyes, but it's died down since she had Reigan look at her future. It didn't sound like a pleasant future, so he's not sure why it brought her comfort, but he's not going to ask. It's none of his business. Once they were done eating, Reigan ushered everyone out of the temple so that they could start the trek back towards their home. He stayed back to say goodnight to Yukina, and he found Reigan waiting for him in front of the temple. He could hear the others up ahead, so they're not too far away.

"She's very lucky to have you." Once he was close enough, she hooked her arm around his and kept walking. He tried to pull free, but she's a lot stronger than she looks. He also didn't try very hard, because he's gotten used to her touch. She doesn't do it very often, but she touches his face or holds his hand sometimes. Usually when no one is looking.

"Is she?" Before, he didn't want Yukina to know him. He was a thief, a killer, a criminal. He had nothing to offer her. He still doesn't know what he has to offer her.

"You look after her, care for her, love her. Of course she's lucky to have you." Sometimes he forgets that Reigan is a twin, but her twin is gone. It's hard to forget when she speaks in that mournful and wistful tone though. It's a unique sound that he's only ever heard from her.

"They're lucky to have you." He pointed his chin towards the loud group ahead of them, and they are lucky to have Reigan. Shizuru and Kuwabara have their mother, and Yusuke has an aunt. She gave them family.

"And who are you lucky to have?" Her eyes are almost the same dark color as the sky above them, and they are the same color as mountain that looms above them.

"Everyone," he answered honestly. He always expected to live his life alone. Even bandits thought he was too violent, too bloodthirsty, so he accepted that he would live apart. He's not sure how that changed so quickly.

"You know, you can be real sweet sometimes. Obliviously so, but still." They were quiet for the rest of the walk, and Reigan paused before walking up the few steps into the house. He could tell she was thinking about something, and it's something that he knew he didn't want to hear.

"Go to bed, Rei." Her eyes widened, just the smallest amount, and he could only tell because of how close they were standing.

"That's the first time you've ever called me that."

"Friends use nicknames. Go to bed before you become even more delirious." Even her smile looked sleepy, and she hugged his arm before letting him go. He watched until the front door closed behind her, and he shook his head. He's not sure he'll ever understand her, or why she's so insistent on sticking close to him. He's made it clear that they will never be anything more than friends, and he means it.

 **.xXx.**

"I hate that you have to leave. I feel like you just got here," Reigan said as she straightened Kazuma's collar. It was a little hard to do since he's so much taller than her, but her son is a gentleman and leaned down to make it easier on her.

"I know, Ma, but I'll be done in two years." Shizuru was standing behind her, and she handed Kazuma another suitcase.

"And then you'll have another four years of veterinarian school. I've been doing my research," she said as she looked up at him. She loves having Shizuru live with her, but she hates saying goodbye to Kazuma. He needs to go to college though.

"It'll fly by, Ma." He leaned down to hug her, and she had to be careful not to hold onto him too hard.

"Call me whenever your schedule is clear for a visit, and we'll all come down for your birthday," she said quickly. The train will be here any second, so she needs to let him go. She felt Shizuru's hands on her shoulders, and she let go of Kazuma and took a step back.

"I'll call you as soon as I'm in the dorm." Kazuma hugged Shizuru, and he waved to both of them as he got on the train. They stayed in the same spot as the train disappeared from view, and Reigan sighed as Shizuru wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"He'll be fine, Mother, and we'll go visit him soon. Now let's get back before Botan tries to redecorate the whole house." Reigan laughed quietly at that, because Botan really does love to reorganize things. Yusuke is there with her, but he normally lets Botan do whatever she wants.

"You're right, of course. Let's go home."

 **.xXx.**

Hiei found her curled up at the base of her statue, which is where she normally goes when she wants to be alone. Kuwabara returned to school a few days ago, and she's been laughing too loudly and frequently. Forcefully. He noticed her sneaking out of the backdoor after dinner, and he waited half an hour before following after her. She grows too dramatic and melancholy when she's left with her own thoughts for too long, and she didn't look up as he approached. After taking a moment to decide, he sat down in front of her. She's sitting with her back against the statue's legs, and her own legs are drawn up against her torso. He stretched his legs out in front of him, so that his boots were only about an inch away from her feet.

"I missed so much of his life. I'm grateful to be in his life now, that he loves and accepts me, but I still feel like I failed him. I raised Shizuru, but Kazuma only had his sister." He should have come looking for her sooner.

"You had no choice in what happened. If you want to blame someone, blame Yusuke and his destiny. Blame Raizen for falling in love. Blame Shikaku for telling you only part of the future. Blame destiny. Do not blame yourself." She looked shocked, but he only spoke the truth. There's no point in watching her wallow in self-pity when she's done nothing wrong, and she can't change the past either. It is what it is.

"You're a good friend, Hiei." He grunted at that but didn't correct her. He knows the others are his friends, but she's the one that's teaching him how to actually be a friend. How friends are meant to act, meant to say.

"And you think too much." That got a real smile out of her, and she stretched her legs out. It meant that her legs were spread out on either side of his, but she was wearing jeans so it didn't matter.

"I guess I do get a little lost in my head sometimes. There's a lot in here." She tapped the side of her head as she said it, and he imagines there is a lot locked up inside of her mind. Seven thousand years is a very long time.

"Friends save friends, even from themselves," he quoted. Her feet lightly pushed against his thighs as she nodded, and she hooked her big toe in the strap of his left holster.

"Yeah, they do. I think it's time to head back. Walk with me?" They stood up together, and Hiei fell into step next to her. She didn't reach for him like she sometimes did, but their arms brushed occasionally. They both jumped onto her balcony once they reached the house, but he stayed outside as she walked into her bedroom. She left the door open, because it's still warm at night, and he listened as she went through her nightly routine. "You know you don't have to sleep outside, right? You've got a perfectly good bed."

"Who said I've been sleeping outside?" She walked out of the bathroom and back towards the balcony, and she's in her pajamas now. Gray shorts and a yellow tee shirt.

"Aha! So you do sneak in and sleep like a civilized person." He rolled his eyes at her grin, and he was surprised when she reached over and grabbed his hand.

"Come sit with me until I fall asleep."

"What's in it for me?" he asked as she pulled back her blankets. Once she was bundled under her blanket and curled up on her side, she pulled him down to sit on the edge of the bed. His hip was next to her stomach, and he could feel the lump of her legs at his back.

"I'll tell you a bedtime story. How about the time that Raizen defeated a fox demon by stripping?"

He couldn't understand some of her words because she was laughing too hard, but he was able to understand the gist of the story. Raizen stripped as a distraction while Reigan and Shikaku took out the fox demon's followers, but it was a funny story. It even got a quiet chuckle out of him. Reigan's eyes shone as she told the story, even as her eyelids drooped with sleep. Her voice trailed off as she talked about their celebration, and he pulled blanket up over her shoulders after she went quiet. He spent the next few minutes just looking down at her, making sure that she was actually asleep, and then quietly got to his feet.

"Goodnight, Rei."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I hope this helps some people with the Kokou situation. I love Kokou, and I really wish she'd been around more. So, her and Reigan don't hate each other, but there's always going to be some tension between them. Three thousand years of strongly disliking each other isn't going to evaporate in an instant. As for Shizuru winning the battle royal, I can't be the only one that thinks Shizuru would have totally kicked ass if she had access to her energy. So, Shizuru won, because she's awesome and hella strong.

I really love writing the little moments between Rei and Hiei, can you tell? They're spending more time together, and I think Hiei's warming up to her. In the next chapter, there's a Christmas celebration and feels galore!

Real quick, is there anything about the story that you don't like? Reviews have been dropping, and the last chapter has the least amount of reviews. I don't write for reviews, but I won't lie and say I don't care about them either. Hearing readers' thoughts helps inspire me, so reviews help keep me writing. I'll write regardless, but I like feedback. So if there's anything that's bugging you, please let me know!

 **SakiHanajima1:** I know it's late again, but I hope you enjoyed the update! I love Yukina's character, so I'm definitely going to try to include her more in this story. Hiei is…well, he's Hiei. He's slowly becoming more approachable though. I really miss writing Souketsu's character; I had so much fun with him in LWIYF. He was in this one a little, but I don't think he'll play as big of a role in this story. Thank you so much for the review!

 **buzzk97:** No, it's not sad at all because I definitely laughed as Rei broke Hiei's nose. He asked for it though; Rei told him not to call her son names, and he didn't listen. I'm glad you're liking the story, and thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** I'm going to reply to your message as soon as this is posted, so I'm sure I'll hear all about what's been going on with you soon. (I hope everything is okay!) Hiei is a stubborn little thing, and I just can't see him falling head over heels. He is definitely warming up to the idea though. Slowly. I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that Genkai gets a happy ending. It might be a while before she gets there, but it'll all work out. (I love my happy endings.) Hmm, I've never really thought about it, but Keiko and Chi Chi are sort of similar. They both definitely deserve more love. Thank you for the review!


	16. It's A Good Feeling

**Author's Note:** At this point, you can either consider this chapter early or late. I'll leave that up to you, but I will update again on Sunday. This chapter is for you **SakiHanajima1**!

 **Post Date:** 06 October 2016

 **Word Count:** 6435

* * *

 **Chapter Sixteen  
** **It's A Good Feeling**

 **December 25, 1996**

"It's Christmas! Wake up, it's Christmas!" Botan knocked on each of the bedroom doors as she sang out the words, and bounced in place in the middle of the hallway as she started to hear movement. Reigan's door opened first, but it looked like the female demon was on her knees. As if she literally just crawled out of bed. Kuwabara and Shizuru opened their doors at the same time, but Kuwabara's cheek was pressed flat against the floor and Shizuru was slumped against her doorframe. Yusuke just poked his head out of his door, and Hiei leaned against his doorframe with his arms crossed. They're awake!

"I jus' got in a few hours ago, Botan. It's too early for Christmas," Kuwabara managed to say around a yawn.

"And we're not getting together until dinner, remember? Because Kurama is spending the day with his family," Reigan added. Botan clasped her hands in front of her as she tried not to pout, because her friends have clearly lost their Christmas spirit.

"But we can still celebrate together! It's Christmas!" Mostly blank eyes stared out at her, and Botan turned her pleading eyes to Yusuke. He's the easiest to break. "We can make a blanket fort and watch cartoons."

"Blanket fort?" A smile was starting to spread across Yusuke's face, so Botan knew she had him.

"The biggest blanket fort," she promised.

"I'm in! Wake up, you losers! We're buildin' a fort!" Yusuke jumped out into the hallway, and that must be why he only stuck his head out of the door. He's only wearing a pair of shorts, even though the house can get a little drafty sometimes. She slept under two blankets last night.

"I need coffee," Shizuru muttered and shuffled past them.

"Can't move. Carry me, Ma." Botan watched with curious eyes as Reigan clawed her way up the doorframe to stand on her feet, and her feet never left the floor as she moved to Kuwabara's room. She stretched her arms out in front of her, and various pops came from her arms and shoulders as she stretched. With one quiet sigh, she reached down and lifted Kuwabara into the air. Botan couldn't help her quiet giggle, because Kuwabara's legs were still dragging across the ground even though he was tossed over Reigan's shoulder.

"Get his legs for me, Hiei." Kuwabara huffed at that but didn't say anything, and the fire demon stepped out into the hallway.

"Can I throw him down the stairs?"

"Watch it, shrimp!"

"If you do, I'll chain you up and make you miss dinner. No presents or dessert for you." Hiei grunted and reached down to grab Kuwabara's legs, and the two shorter demons of the house carried Kuwabara down the hallway and then down the stairs. That's something she doesn't get to see every day. Hiei willingly helped Kuwabara. It's a Christmas miracle!

"Comin', Botan?" Yusuke is standing at the top of the stairs and staring at her, and she snapped to attention.

"Coming!"

 **.xXx.**

"Are you asleep?" Reigan peeked an eye open to look up at Shizuru, and she smiled at her daughter. She's currently stretched out on one of the couches in the den, with her head pillowed on Shizuru's lap and her feet on Hiei's thigh. He kept pushing her feet off of him for the first five minutes, but he eventually gave in. Kazuma, Botan, and Yusuke are hidden by a giant blanket fort in the center of the room and giggling like children as they watch Christmas cartoons. They found a marathon.

"Just resting. Why?" She's so comfortable that it would be easy to fall asleep, but she wants to stay awake so that she can remember all of this. Her first Christmas with her family.

"It's lunchtime. I promised Yukina I'd help her prepare dinner, and Kazuma and Yusuke promised to cook a few things too!" She yelled the last part out, and the blanket fort rocked.

"On it, Sis!"

"We got this!" Yusuke and Kazuma were blurs as they ran out of the den, and Reigan lifted her head just enough to watch them disappear. Fast little things.

"I'll help you and Yukina!" Botan called out. She had the blanket fort disassembled and everything put back in its proper place in record time, and Shizuru called out a goodbye before the two of them left.

"I don't like this holiday." Her and Hiei are the only ones left in the den, and cartoons are still playing on the TV.

"Why's that?" Her feet are still propped in his lap, and she reached back to lace her fingers behind her head. She likes looking at Hiei when they have conversations, because she's slowly starting to learn how to read his facial expressions. He doesn't express much, so it takes some concentration. It's like trying to break into a safe.

"There are too many expectations." She raised a brow at that, but he's looking at the TV and not at her. The dancing snowmen are captivating though, so she won't take offense.

"There's presents and food. That's not much of an expectation. You still have Yukina's present, right?" His dark eyes cut over at her, and his chin nearly touched his chest as he nodded. He is actually reclining on the couch for once instead of sitting up straight, and she likes seeing him look so relaxed. It's a good look on him.

"Everyone is expected to be happy, to be together. Everything must be perfect," Hiei quoted.

"Okay, Botan just said that because Christmas is her favorite holiday. I mean, this place has been brightly decorated since the first of the month." Literally. On December first, Botan started hanging Christmas lights on the outside of the house. The tree was up during the first week. She tried to do the same thing to the temple, but Genkai banned her from bringing anything that lit up or sparkled inside. It's why they're having dinner at the house instead of at the temple.

"What if it isn't?" Reigan felt her stomach muscles contract as she forced herself into a sitting position, and her feet shifted around so that they were tucked under Hiei's thigh instead. He didn't even seem to notice, so this is really bothering him.

"Are you…worried about tonight?" Yeah, Hiei's still not the most social of people, but he's really come a long way. It's just going to be them tonight, so not too many people, and it's all people that he trusts.

"This will be Yukina's first real Christmas. She's been talking about it for weeks," Hiei finally admitted. And she just had to stare at the side of his face for three minutes this time. They're making progress.

"Tonight is going to be perfect, but not because of the gifts and food. Do you know what's going to make it perfect?" Since she's sitting up now, she's a lot closer to him. Close enough to see the almost vulnerable look in his dark eyes. Almost vulnerable, because he still looks kinda angry. That's usually just his resting face though.

"What?" She kept her eyes locked with his as she reached over with one hand to grab one of his, and she felt his hand flex as her fingers slipped between his. Like his first instinct was to pull away but then he changed his mind.

"The company. We're a family, and we'll be together. That's what really matters. Yukina's first Christmas will be perfect, because she'll be with her family." She squeezed his hand as she said the last word, so that he would know she was talking about him, and he rolled his eyes as he mouthed the words, _sentimental fool_. It's one of his favorite things to call her lately; she's starting to think of it as a pet name.

"I haven't wrapped Yukina's present. Does it have to be wrapped?" They even bought wrapping paper! She explained all of this very clearly while they were shopping, which was an experience in and of itself. Hiei's starting to trust her a little bit more, so she was first one he came to about buying Yukina's gift. She took him shopping, but she assumed that she'd be the one to pick out the gift. She was wrong. Hiei found the perfect gift all on his own. A large cookbook, with different sections, and it had a mix of varying recipes along with blank pages so that the owner could write down their own recipes as well. It was very thoughtful. She picked out the snowflake wrapping paper though.

"Yes, it has to be wrapped or it's not a Christmas present. Come on, let's go wrap it. Did you write something nice in the card?" His blank stare let her know that he definitely did not write anything in the card, and she sighed as she slipped her feet away from his warmth. Her average temperature is slightly higher than a human's, but Hiei is like an actual living furnace. She placed her feet on the ground and stood up, and she tugged on his hand to get him moving too.

"What do most people write in the cards?" He asked it as they were walking up the stairs, and she's still holding his hand. He normally would have pulled away from her by now, but maybe it's because he knows that no one can see them. Or will see them. Shizuru and Botan are at the temple, and she can hear Kazuma and Yusuke yelling at each other in the kitchen.

"Depends. If it's someone that you're not very close to, you just wish them well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If it's someone that you are close to, you write something personal. Something just for them," she shrugged. She's never really understood the holiday, but she likes the idea of any holiday that includes time spent with her family and lots of good food. The presents are fun too.

"What was your last Christmas like?" Hiei's bedroom is different than everyone else's, because it looks more like a guest room. He doesn't have very many personal things; it's mostly just clothes and weapons.

"My last Christmas? It was just me, Shizuru, Genkai, and Eiji." Saying his name hurts her sometimes, but it's getting easier. She's not going to stop talking about him; it wouldn't be fair to her children or to his memory. "It was a good Christmas. We were happy."

"Can I see?" There's a small desk in his room, and that's where Yukina's new cookbook is sitting. The wrapping paper and simple Christmas card is sitting next to it, and she sat down in the cushioned desk chair.

"If you want to." She could feel the Jagan pressing against her mind, and she didn't fight it. Just closed her eyes and thought of that last Christmas.

" _Father! Put me down!" Fifteen year old Shizuru was draped across Eiji's shoulders like a scarf, and Eiji laughed as he continued to spin around the large room. There was a large tree in the corner, mostly decorated by Shizuru and Eiji, and wrapping paper was scattered all around the bottom of the tree._

" _If she pukes, you're cleaning it up!" Genkai called out. She was sitting next to the psychic and drinking spiked tea, and the two of them smiled as they watched Eiji and Shizuru blur._

" _We're almost at the record!" Eiji yelled back._

" _I'm too old for this!" Shizuru cried out. Eiji slowly came to a stop once they reached the eight minute mark, eight minutes and forty-four seconds, and he held Shizuru against his chest so that neither one of them would fall over._

" _You're never too old for fun! Tell her, little demon!" Reigan was warm and full from the dinner that Shizuru and Genkai had prepared, and she lazily waved a hand at her lover and her daughter._

" _He has a point. You can still have fun even when you're Genkai's age." The psychic used the now empty teapot to knock her to the side, and Reigan laughed even as she rubbed the lump starting to grow on the side of her head._

" _You're all insane. I'm going to use my new typewriter, bye!" Eiji had found the large outdated thing in a shop and declared that it would be the perfect gift for their little girl, and Reigan agreed with him. It was just the kind of thing that Shizuru would get a kick out of. Reigan smiled as Shizuru skipped from the room, and Eiji fell down behind her a moment later._

" _Don't make a mess," Genkai said as she stood up. Reigan looked across the room at all of the ripped up paper, but she decided not to point out that the room was already a mess. One lump on the head is good enough for one day._

" _Merry Christmas, my little demon," Eiji whispered as he snuggled up behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist and held her close, and she pressed the back of her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, a steady thump-thump-thump in the now quiet room, and she smiled as she closed her eyes._

" _Merry Christmas, my strong human."_

"You love him. Still." Hiei looked confused as he reached towards her face, and she forced herself to remain immobile as he used the sleeves of his cloak to wipe the tears off her cheeks. It was such a good memory, a beautiful memory, and she misses those days. It was so much simpler back then. Unfortunately, she spent the next Christmas sealed away inside of a statue. Eiji was gone, Shizuru didn't remember her, and Genkai was alone.

"I will always love him." His confused expression only increased, and she reached up to smooth away the wrinkles between his furrowed brows. "He knew about you. Not your name or anything like that, I didn't even know your name until you were born, but he knew that I'd seen the demon I was meant to be with. That I had seen my future mate. He knew, but he still chose to love me. To be with me. He is the only person I have loved since I saw your eyes all those years ago, because I always knew that I was waiting for you. Eiji didn't care; he wanted to be with me for as long as he could, and we only had twenty years together. It wasn't enough. He should have had the chance to see his son, to see Shizuru live her life…and I wanted more time with him. Loving him was easy."

"And me?" They don't talk about what she's seen, because Hiei is still adamant about controlling his own future. She still believes that they will be together one day, and he knows that she still believes it. They just don't talk about it.

"Loving you is…natural. Not always easy, you're too stubborn for that, but I love the stubborn parts of you too. I'm not in love with you yet, I'd tell you if I was, but loving you feels right. Not like something I have to do. I love you because I want to, future seeing abilities be damned. I make my own destiny too." She smiled as she finished, because she really means that. Hiei is stubborn, argumentative, and sometimes he's downright hostile. There's other sides to him too. He comes to her when he's trying to understand something new, he trusts her, and he keeps her from losing herself in her own mind. Pulls her back from the edge and the darkness. He says it's because she becomes too dramatic, but she thinks he does it because some part of him cares about her wellbeing.

"You still believe our destiny is together." He stood up as he said it, and she tipped her head back to keep looking into his eyes. She reached out to hold his hands, and she was surprised at how strong his hold was.

"I know that I don't plan on leaving your side. You're stuck with me. Friends or lovers, it doesn't matter. We're still together." He looked down at their hands, and she could almost see the gears in his head turning.

"What if what you saw was only friendship? What if we only belong to each other in this way?" She never really saw anything from their future; she's just always had a feeling that they were meant to be together.

"Then I'll count myself lucky to be your friend. Now, how about we wrap this before it gets any later?" She slipped her hands out of his, which wasn't an easy thing to do because she loves being able to touch him, and turned to the desk.

 **.xXx.**

"Tada!" Dinner was officially over, Yusuke felt completely stuffed, and they'd moved on to presents. Botan wanted to go first, because she said she had a present for everyone, and he looked at the giant collage. Seriously giant. It's taller than his auntie, and it's just as wide as it is long.

"It's beautiful, Botan," Yukina said quietly. Everyone gathered in close to look at all of the different pictures, and there's pictures of everyone. There's even a bunch of pictures from his auntie's celebration at Enki's, and he does not remember slow dancing with Yomi. When did that happen?

"This must have taken you forever to put together. Thank you, Botan," Auntie Rei said and gently touched one of the pictures. It was one of all of them, sprawled out in front of the newly built house, and they looked like a real family.

"It wasn't that hard to do. The hardest part was deciding which photos to use, and I thought we could put it in the den? There's a big empty space on the back wall." Botan looked so hopeful, and Shizuru threw an arm around the reaper's shoulders.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. Kazuma, Yusuke, go put it up," Shizuru said with a very strict glare. He and Kuwabara both grumbled at the command, but Yusuke winked at the grinning reaper as he took the giant thing from her. She looked too happy for him to be really upset at being forced to do manual labor on Christmas, and he heard his auntie yell after them.

"Don't take too long! We have more presents!" They're just going to be on the other side of the room, but they do have to go to the shed outback to get the nails and some hammers. Damn it.

"Could have asked Kurama or Hiei to do it," Kuwabara said as they stepped outside. The snow was pretty thick on the ground, but it wasn't currently snowing. That's one good thing.

"Kurama doesn't live here, and Hiei is Hiei," Yusuke countered as they reached the shed.

"Yeah, good point. Still think it's sexist that they make us do everything." Yusuke met Kuwabara's eyes, and they both started laughing. If anything, their house does the opposite of the usual gender roles. Auntie Rei does most of the home repairs, Shizuru takes care of all their bills, and he and Kuwabara do most of the cooking. Auntie Rei tried to cook once, and thankfully Yukina was close by because Auntie Rei nearly set the house on fire. Yukina's ice was able to put it out quickly. They had to eat at Genkai's for a week while the kitchen was being remodeled, but Botan was pretty happy that week.

"Was Christmas like this when you were growing up?" His mom normally got them a little tree and they decorated a little, but their small Christmases were nothing like this. There was never so many people at the dinner table, or that much laughter.

"Not really. It was usually just me and Sis. Today's been…different. I like it." Kuwabara looked a little sheepish as he said it, and Yusuke reached over to lightly grab his shoulder.

"Me too," he admitted. He misses his mom, but she's finally at peace now. It helps that he's not alone. He still has family with him. "Now let's get back inside before Shizuru or Auntie Rei comes looking."

 **.xXx.**

"Deck the halls with boughs of—Holy shit!" Her loud yell cut off her quiet singing, and she glared at the sound of his quiet chuckle.

"Poor decorating choice," Hiei said as he continued to smirk at her.

"Don't scare me like that, you ass!" She lightly punched his shoulder, and he rocked back with the movement. She'd walked into her dark room, ready to get some rest after their very eventful day, and she was not expecting Hiei's face to be right in front of hers when she flipped the light on. He'd moved back after the light was on, but he's still standing pretty close.

"You let your guard down too easily." He said it while she walked around him, and she picked out some pajamas from her dresser before stepping into the bathroom. She knows by now that Hiei will wait for her, and she left the door cracked so that they could still talk.

"I'll blame it on all the pies your sister made. I'm too full of deliciousness to worry about intruders in my bedroom. Why are you in my bedroom?" Random visits to her room isn't uncommon, but they're all pretty wiped. Botan woke them up at the crack of dawn, and it's nearly midnight now. Yukina and Kurama are staying with them tonight, but Genkai left for the temple about ten minutes ago. Everyone is back in their rooms, with full bellies and presents galore, except for Hiei.

"I got you something." Hiei only got a present for Yukina; he technically gave everyone else socks, that she picked out and wrapped. She just wrote his name on the tags. He had tried to protest, but she promised him it would be funny and that everyone would appreciate the gesture. Everyone had looked shocked when Hiei handed them each a present, and there was laughter when the various novelty socks were unwrapped. She loves being right sometimes.

"Like a real present? Because I bought myself socks too." She stepped out of the bathroom, and they both looked down at her feet. Her socks are bright green with red and white striped candy canes on them, and they're very soft. They go halfway up her calves, which can easily be seen because her pajamas are just a pair of black shorts and a blue tee shirt. No sleeves.

"Yes. A real present," he stated as she walked farther into her bedroom. She pulled back her thick blanket and sat down on her bed, and Hiei shuffled his way over to her. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he was nervous. Hiei's not the type to get nervous though.

"A real present that you paid for with real money?" Her head was tipped back so that she could look at him, and his jaw clenched.

"Yes." Now he sounds more annoyed than anything, and that's the ornery fire demon that she knows and loves.

"Then why did I pay for the cookbook and socks?" Hiei smirked as he looked down at her, and she resisted the urge to kick him.

"Because you offered." Damn. She did offer to pay for everything; it only seemed fair since she was the one that convinced him to get eight pairs of socks. The look on everyone's faces was definitely worth it though, and she's got money to spare.

"Fair enough. Where's my present?" He's not holding anything in his hands, so what is it? He reached into his pocket and pulled out a plain white box, not too large, and she cocked her head to one side. It's not a very large box, but it could be anything. Maybe another pair of socks?

"Hold out your hands." Her arms stretched out instantly, hands turned palms up, and he gently laid the box in her upturned hands. It's not very heavy, so socks are likely.

"Hiei, what is—" Breath froze in her lungs as Hiei leaned over her, and her eyes closed as warm lips touched against her forehead. It was a light kiss, barely any pressure at all, but she can feel heat rushing into her face.

"Merry Christmas, Reigan." The words were whispered against her skin, and she quickly opened her eyes. It was already too late; Hiei was gone. Her bedroom door was closed, and she'll never get over how fast he is. She had half a mind to stomp her way into his room and demand to know what all of that was about, because he knows how she feels. Yeah, a kiss on the forehead isn't all that intimate, but coming from Hiei? It's definitely a declaration of something, but she can't tell what. The only thing that stopped her was the white box in her hands.

She held it carefully, like it might break or explode, and she shifted the box so that it was resting on one palm. The fingers of her other hand tapped against the lid, and she took a few calming breaths before sliding the lid off. Crushed black velvet lined the bottom of the box, to cushion the beautiful necklace inside. The chain and round pendant were both silver, and there was a sapphire in the center of the pendant surrounded by an intricate design. Silver vines and flowers. Her fingers shook as she lifted the necklace out of the box, and she realized that it was a locket. There was a small button on one side, and the locket quietly clicked open. There was space inside for two pictures, but there weren't any pictures inside. There was, however, a small folded note. She held the locket with one hand, so it took her a moment to unfold the small strip of paper with just a few fingers.

 _Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, you sentimental fool_

Her laugh seemed to explode out of her as she read the quickly scrawled writing, and she laughed until tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She folded the strip of paper back up and tucked it into one side of the locket. The necklace was placed back into the box, and she sat the little white box on her bedside table. She moved over to her own desk, where a few of her presents were sitting, and she pulled out the giant scrapbook that Botan made her. The reaper must have picked up on how much she loved taking pictures, so she'd made her a scrapbook for Christmas. She sat down in her chair as she flipped through the scrapbook, until she found the two pictures she was looking for. She'd flipped through the scrapbook while they all sat together and talked after everyone had opened their presents, so she knew which pictures she wanted to use.

Her sketchpad was in a desk drawer, and she pulled it out along with one of her favorite drawing pencils. The first picture was of Shizuru, Kazuma, and Yusuke. Shizuru was standing between the boys with her arms around them, Kazuma had his arms around his sister's neck, and Yusuke had his arms around his cousin's waist. All three of them were laughing while they stood on Genkai's porch, and Reigan carefully measured out how small to make her drawing. It was a little difficult, and she only drew them from the waist up, but it was still a good picture. The second picture was from her celebration at Enki's; it was the one dance she got to have with Hiei. Their arms were wrapped completely around each other, both of them had their eyes closed, and her cheek was pressed against his shoulder while his chin just barely brushed the top of her head. Her drawing was only of their outlines, a simple silhouette, but she thought it was beautiful. The drawings easily fit into the locket, and she placed the drawing of her and Hiei over the folded up note.

The locket snapped closed, and she reached back to hook the clasp around her neck. The pendant hung down to the dip of her collarbones, above her mark, and she touched against the twisting vines and little flowers. It's such a thoughtful gift. Hiei has to know that it's a thoughtful gift, right? He teases her all the time about being sentimental, and a locket is like the ultimate sentimental gift. Well, there's one thing for sure. That fire demon is driving her absolutely crazy, and she's completely okay with it.

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, you sneaky sentimentalist," she whispered. She wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe Hiei heard her.

 **.xXx.**

The next morning dawned a little too early for his tastes, but Hiei drug himself out of his bed anyway. He's going to have to start sleeping outside again. Sleeping in a bed regularly is going to make him soft. The house was quiet as he walked down the hallway and then down the stairs, and the only light was coming out of the kitchen. Yukina was already awake and at the stove, and he walked over to sit on the counter next to where she was cooking. It smelled good, and Yukina was holding the cookbook he picked out for her in one hand.

"Good morning, brother." Her smile was gentle, and she carefully stirred…something. Smells sweet. He hopes it's not another pie or pastry; he was sure that Reigan, Kuwabara, and Yusuke were going to eat themselves sick last night before the food finally ran out.

"You don't have to do that." There are others in the house that know how to cook. Yusuke and Kuwabara are decent cooks, Shizuru is a good cook when she chooses to be, Botan actually enjoys cooking breakfast for some reason, and even Kurama knows how to make some dishes. Reigan is the only one that can't be trusted alone in the kitchen. The whole house smelled like smoke for weeks after her last attempt.

"I don't mind, and I wanted to use my present." Yukina held up the cookbook, and he felt one side of his lips tip up into a smile as he crossed his arms. "I just hope I make enough. Kazuma, Yusuke, and Reigan seem like they never really get full."

"Make us much as you want. They can find something else if they're still hungry." Those three really do eat too much, but Reigan is probably the worst. It's like the demon is in a constant state of hunger.

"Good morning, you two! Do you need help, Yukina?" Hiei tuned out Botan and Yukina's conversation, they were just talking about the food, and rested his back against the cabinets. The smell of the cooking food is starting to spread through the house, and the others are slowly starting to wake up. Kurama was the next one down, followed by Shizuru, Yusuke and Kuwabara walked into the kitchen together, and Reigan shuffled in last. She was still yawning as she walked in, but he could see the glint of silver around her neck. So she liked his present.

"Hey, Hiei, pass me some plates." Hiei opened the cabinet next to his head and pulled out enough plates for everyone, and he handed them over to Yusuke. He lifted his legs up onto the counter so that Kuwabara could get the eating utensils from the drawer under him, and he and Yusuke moved into the dining room to start setting the table. Shizuru and Reigan were getting the drinks ready, and Kurama walked over to where he was sitting.

"Didn't get enough sleep?" He opened his eyes at the question, because he got plenty of sleep. He sleeps more hours a night now than he ever has before.

"I slept fine." He moved his legs back over the edge of the counter, because breakfast will be ready soon. He'll help Yukina carry the food out to the dining room.

"Yes, Hiei, I slept just fine as well. The house is a little cold, but I liked the quilt that Genkai gave me." Hiei raised a brow at Kurama, and the fox just smiled over at him. This is what he gets for having friends. Annoying conversations that he didn't ask for first thing in the morning.

"It's bright yellow," Hiei pointed out. The quilt had been thick and looked soft, but the bright color was offensive. Kurama just laughed and then helped him carry the food into the dining room. Hiei turned back to get the last dish, and he had just picked it up off the counter when he heard movement behind him.

"Hi," Reigan said quietly. She walked around him to the refrigerator to pull out the large pitcher of orange juice, but she stopped next to him instead of continuing into the dining room. "Why a necklace?"

"You reach up to touch your neck a lot, and you frown when you don't feel anything. A necklace seemed logical." It's something that he's noticed over the past few months. She'll reach up and trace her fingers over the front of her throat, and a dark look will pass over her face.

"I did wear that collar for a thousand years, so I guess I got used to having something around my neck. I definitely prefer the necklace though. Thank you, Hiei." He wanted to ask if she'd put any pictures in it yet, but he held back. He doesn't want to know.

"Don't mention it." He meant that too. Reigan laughed as she resumed walking, and he followed her back into the dining room. The table was loud, as always, but it was easy to block most of it out as he ate. He was halfway through breakfast when he felt Reigan's socked foot nudge his knee, and she tapped the center of her forehead when he glared over at her. She wiggled her covered toes against his kneecap at the same time, and he realized what she wanted. Using the Jagan to look at everyone's feet was a waste of the Jagan's power, but he did it anyway. Everyone at the table was wearing the socks that he "gave" them, and he squeezed Reigan's foot between his knees. Her smile turned into her baring her fangs as her foot was trapped, but he didn't let go. Damn her for being right.

"So do today's plans involve taking down all of the blinking lights on the house?" Reigan asked after she realized he wasn't letting up. Serves her right.

"We can't take down the decorations until after the New Year. It's bad luck," Botan said quickly.

"How do these things becoming tradition? This holiday is to celebrate Christ's birthday, right? I wasn't in the area at the time, but I think he was born earlier in the year. It was definitely warmer," Reigan mumbled, mostly to herself. The table started laughing, quietly at first, and then much louder. Reigan looked around in confusion before looking at him, and he shrugged. He doesn't know why the fools are laughing.

"Geeze, Auntie Rei, you really are older than dirt," Yusuke wheezed out. They're laughing because she's old? Reigan's mouth dropped open, and she pointed a finger at everyone around the table.

"I'm not that old!" she yelled. Kuwabara, who was sitting on her other side, poked the top of her head and grinned.

"I don't know, Ma. I think I'm startin' to see some gray." She squealed as she touched the top of her head and then she started growling when Kuwabara began to laugh even louder.

"I don't have gray hair! Hiei, do you see any gray?" Her head tilted at an angle that looked almost painful towards him, and he sighed as he looked at the top of her head. All of her hair is the same dark blonde color as always.

"No." She smiled as she straightened back up, and he fought the urge to roll his eyes at her overly large grin. All he did was say the truth. The laughter was finally fading out, and Hiei returned to his food. Idiots. The whole lot of them.

 **.xXx.**

"Best. Christmas. Ever," Botan sighed. They're all back in the den, including Kurama this time, and she can see the Christmas tree from where she's sitting. If she looks over her shoulder, she'll be able to see the collage she made for everyone.

"Definitely had the best food," Yusuke said and smiled over at Yukina. Yusuke's head is currently pillowed in her lap, and she's been absently running her fingers through his hair for the past ten minutes. It's clean and doesn't have any gel in it for once, and his hair is a lot softer than she thought it would be. (She's touched his hair before, of course, like at the celebration at Enki's. He'd had gel in his hair all those other times though.)

"I had plenty of help," Yukina said quietly. She was sitting in one of the bigger recliners, and Hiei was perched on the arm of the chair. Yukina looked happy at having her brother so close, and Hiei even looked relaxed.

"Those pies were the best though," Kuwabara said. Shizuru was sitting on the couch across from her and Yusuke, and Kuwabara was sitting on the floor with his back against Shizuru's shins. Kurama was sitting next to Shizuru, and Reigan was sitting in front of Kurama's legs so that he could brush her hair. It's getting pretty long now. Maybe Mazoku demons have a faster hair growth rate than humans?

"Mmm, pie," Reigan sighed. Kurama was starting to braid her hair now, and it looked like something a little more complicated than Reigan's usual plait.

"Both of you are cut off from pie. You too, Yusuke. The three of you have a problem," Shizuru said seriously. The woman was smiling though, and Kuwabara tipped his head back against his knees to look pleadingly up at her.

"Yukina's cooking is never a problem." The ice maiden beamed at Reigan's words, and everyone laughed quietly. It's like none of them want to disturb the feeling of peace that's surrounded them.

"Right on, Ma." Kuwabara and Reigan high-fived, and Yusuke lazily gave them a thumbs-up. She's so glad that Koenma is letting her stay here, because she can't remember the last time she felt so at home. So at peace. It's a good feeling. She just hopes it lasts.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I have a lot of Christmas feelings, okay? I know this is the month of Halloween, but I love Christmas. I'm not quite on Botan's level, but I'm not too far behind. I hope this chapter seemed believable; it's a little hard to keep people in character during super sappy moments, but I think I managed it.

On my profile page, I've posted links to how I envision Enki's castle (from the last chapter) and Reigan's new locket.

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** Haha, I really do love writing the celebration scenes. (Or whole celebration chapters.) Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** Hiei accepts Rei as a friend, grudgingly, so I'm really having fun slowly bringing them closer together. I'm still not sure about the Yusuke/Botan pairing, mostly because I'm still writing for Yusuke and Koto in my other story, but we'll see! I love Shizuru, and I think she deserved to kick some ass. (I'll read/reply to your messages as soon as I can. Just in case it takes me a little while, how was the cruise?) Thank you for the review!

 **bubbles22293:** Thank you for the corrections! No matter how many times I proofread, I miss stuff. I fixed the "loose" and the "defeat" problem, and I looked up "royal vs royale" and went with what google told me. Oh no! I've been doing my best to make sure that their relationship is natural, and I've been trying so hard to keep Hiei in character. Just remember that there are other little moments happening between them; I just can't write them all. If I did, this story would become entirely too long. I hope you continue to enjoy the story, and thank you for the review!

 **Melody-Ravenwood:** I hope they were good feels! And thank you for the review!

 **Aelthya:** **wonders about the name change but decides not to comment because she doesn't want to appear nosy** I'm glad you enjoyed the fluff! I love writing fluff, I really do. Not as much as I love writing Rei and Hiei's interactions though. Those are always my favorite parts, so I'm happy that you like them so much! I promised you a good review, and your story definitely deserved it. I laughed, I cried, I yelled at my laptop screen…it's an amazing story, and I promise to read and review the new chapter as soon as I can! Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** I like writing the fun moments, and no one will ever be able to convince that me a drunk Yusuke wouldn't dance. This chapter was dedicated to you, so I hope you liked it! Thank you so much for the review!


	17. In Destiny, Of Course

**Author's Note:** I promised an update on Sunday. It's after midnight where I am, but it's still Sunday in some time zones. I'm also extremely tired, so I'll keep this and the Ending Note short.

 **Post Date:** 10 October 2016

 **Word Count:** 7735

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen  
** **In Destiny, Of Course**

 **March 1997**

"Doesn't looking at that thing make you uncomfortable?" Reigan looked over her shoulder at the sound of her nephew's voice, and she smiled at the sight of him. Sometimes he'll grin a certain way or the light will hit him differently, and it's just like looking at Raizen all over again. Yusuke resembles him more than Ryu did, and it hurts sometimes. In a good kind of way. She misses Raizen, but she's lucky to have Yusuke in her life. He's softer than Raizen, like Kokou said. She hopes that never changes.

"Why? Because I was sealed away inside of it for twenty years and nearly went crazy at being so completely helpless?" Yusuke turned his head to look down at her, so that she could clearly see his expression, and she smiled at what he called his _duh_ face. "Nah, it doesn't make me uncomfortable. A little sad, sometimes, but I have good memories of it too. Like being released from it."

"You're so weird, Auntie Rei." She likes that he calls her that. That he's so willing to accept her as family.

"Yeah, well, it's hereditary." He laughed at that, a warm sound, and she leaned her temple against his arm. He's not out here to gaze at her statue. He sought her out, so he needs something from her. Advice. "What's wrong, Yusuke?"

"I've been thinking…" He trailed off after that, like he wasn't sure if he wanted to keep going, and Reigan looked up at him.

"Thinking, huh? It's not a good look on you." He narrowed his eyes at her, but it snapped him out of whatever was holding him back. Mission accomplished.

"I've been thinking about my future. Seriously thinking about it. If the Demon World keeps the demon lord thing, I'll eventually go back to Tourin and rule. I don't know the first thing about ruling a kingdom." She reached up to lightly press her fingertips against his face, under his left eye, and smiled.

"Hokushin and I will teach you, whenever you're ready. You won't rule alone," she promised. She stayed at Raizen's side as he ruled Tourin, and she'll do the same thing for Yusuke.

"Yeah?" He looked a little hopeful, and her nephew can be a little absent minded sometimes. Like she'd ever leave him? She didn't spend a thousand years just waiting for him to be born so that she could abandon him; well, that forced abandonment doesn't count.

"Yeah," she said and smiled back. "What else is bothering you?"

"I didn't say anything else was bothering me." He said the words too quickly, and she narrowed her eyes up at him.

"Seer, remember? You feel…bothered." It was hard for her to explain. She could tell that something else was weighing heavily on his mind, but she doesn't want to push him. If he doesn't want to tell her, that's okay, but she wants him to know that she's here for him.

"I like what we have here. The house, the normalcy of everything…Training with Genkai, watching Hiei train Shizuru, learning new recipes from Yukina, visiting Kuwabara at school, helping Botan with her projects, listening to your stories. I know I'll have to go back to Tourin eventually, but I'm not ready to leave yet. What we have right now is really good." Yusuke's voice had sounded a little thick as he spoke, and she realized it was because he was finally at peace. There was no more danger to constantly be on the alert for, no one was demanding that he do something like save the world, and he was learning how to relax. How to really relax.

"It is really good, isn't it?" Everything that he listed is a favorite of hers too.

Genkai has restarted Yusuke's training now that they're both in their prime, and the psychic does not go easy on him. Yusuke seems to thrive under the strict training though. Then there was Hiei and Shizuru training together. Reigan had started out training Shizuru, but her daughter thought that she was holding back. (Reigan was.) Hiei happened to be sitting nearby and watching, and he offered to take over Shizuru's training. Shizuru trusted him not to hold back, and he didn't. Shizuru was becoming stronger, and even faster, because of it. Yukina loves having Yusuke in the kitchen, because he's surprisingly good at following orders in the kitchen. They visit Kuwabara at school about twice a month, whether they plan it or not, and it always feels good to see her son. It also gives them a chance to buy necessities for the house, or for Botan to buy materials for whatever project she's working on. Her and Yusuke are currently building a gazebo a little ways away from the house, in a small clearing between some very large trees. At night, after dinner, Reigan normally tells stories in the den. Yusuke and Botan make the most requests, and sometimes Shizuru reminds her of one of her favorite stories to tell everyone. It's a nice routine. A comforting one even.

"Is it wrong to want to stay like this?" He's already such a good ruler; he just doesn't know it yet. She hooked her arm through Yusuke's and started pulling him back towards the house.

"Raizen used to leave for years at a time. Shikaku and I would stay at the palace to keep an eye on things, because we knew he'd always come back. Stayed gone for nearly thirty years once. Mostly spent that time in Greece with Athena." They walked back into the tree line, and she looked up to see Yusuke's shocked face.

"Greek goddess Athena?" he asked her.

"Most of the Greek gods were actually just demons. Athena was an owl demon. Scary woman. Weapons master. Supernaturally beautiful," she listed off. She only met Athena a handful of times, but the self-proclaimed goddess was a little frightening. That whole goddess of wisdom thing wasn't far off the mark. She was smart, calculating, and ruthless. Kind of reminded her of Yoko.

"So old, Auntie Rei. Like, ancient," Yusuke said as he grinned down at her.

"Do not start that again." Hiei's voice came from above them, and they both leaned their heads back to see him. He was stretched out on a tree branch, and Reigan smiled. He just defended her! He probably did it because he didn't want to listen to the loud argument that was probably about to ensue, but it still makes her happy.

"Hey, Hiei! Whatcha doin' up there?" Yusuke asked.

"Waiting for Shizuru to finish her meditation. She needs quiet." Reigan's not going to lie, it warms her heart to see her daughter and Hiei bonding. Hiei and Kuwabara still mostly argue, not nearly as seriously as they did when they first met, so it's good that Hiei gets along with at least one of her children.

"Are you banning us from our own house?" Yusuke asked him. She's pretty sure that's what Hiei is saying.

"We could always train. It'll make a good warm up," Hiei said and opened his eyes to look down at them.

"Warm up?! Get down here, and I'll show ya a warm up!" Yusuke let go of her and stepped to the side, and Reigan took a few more steps to the side as Hiei suddenly disappeared. Blue and red energy sparked a moment later, and Reigan found a comfortable place to sit and watch them train.

"I didn't know Yusuke and Hiei had a playdate today." Reigan twisted her head against the tree trunk as Genkai approached her, and the psychic sat down next to her. Her vibrant pink hair has grown pretty long, and she has it braided back today. Like in the old days.

"Impromptu training session. You here for Yusuke?" she asked. Yusuke trains with Genkai pretty consistently, but they do take days off.

"Here for you." Reigan managed to tear her eyes away from the fight happening in front of her, because Hiei and Yusuke aren't holding back much. They're holding back their energy, but not their punches.

"Here for me? What'd I do this time?" She quickly recounted the past few days, but they've all been pretty normal. She'd remember if she did something bad…she's pretty sure she would anyway.

"It's been exactly one year since you were released. I wanted to see how you are doing."

"Oh." It has been a year, to the day. That's why she was at her statue earlier when Yusuke found her, reflecting on the past year. So much has changed since she was sealed away, but they're not bad changes. She has her family, both by blood and by choice, and she's happy.

"That's all you have to say? Oh?" Genkai's voice may sound sweeter, but her words still have bite to them.

"I'm doing pretty good. I wish some things were different," she paused to flick her eyes over at Genkai before continuing, "but I'm pretty happy as a whole. I have my family, Kai. All of you. What do I have to complain about?"

"Arthritis?"

"Not you too," she groaned out. She can't even make fun of Genkai for being old anymore, because her friend is in her prime and staying that way. Not that Reigan feels old, most of the time. There are days when she feels the weight of all the years she's lived, but having her family with her helps.

"You are our elder, Mother. Bear the title with pride," Shizuru said as she joined them. They've all turned against her, except for maybe Hiei.

"She's right. Be proud that you've survived for so long." Hiei was standing in front of her now, next to Shizuru, and Yusuke was in the spot where they'd been training with his face in the dirt.

"Is that a compliment?" she asked him. He shrugged as Yusuke started yelling for a rematch, and his dark eyes looked away from her and up at Shizuru.

"Ready to begin?" Shizuru has her swords strapped to the belt around her waist, so she must be ready.

"Today, I'm going to cut you," Shizuru said and started walking towards the training ground.

"Come along, Yusuke! That firewood isn't going to cut itself!" Genkai called out.

"But it's still spring!" Yusuke yelled back.

"Quit being such a slacker!" Genkai looked over at her and winked before leading Yusuke back towards the temple, and Reigan's laughter was loud and easy. She settled back against the trunk of the tree as Hiei and Shizuru started to train, and she waited to see if her daughter was right about finally landing a blow today.

 **.xXx.**

"Only one more year to go!" Yusuke yelled. Everyone was in the dining room, preparing to eat and celebrate Kuwabara's successful completion of his third year of college. Kurama was happy for his younger friend, because he's learned that balancing two completely separate lives isn't easy. Reigan, who was standing next to Kuwabara and beaming up at him, suddenly looked over at him with wide eyes. Her dark blue eyes had glazed over, and he remembers that look. It's been many years since he last saw it, but he'll never forget the faraway gaze of a seer.

"Congratulations, baby bro!" Shizuru called out as a bottle was opened. Reigan said something that he couldn't hear over all the noise, and he watched as her shorter form moved around everyone until she reached him.

"Help me in the kitchen, Kurama?" Everyone knows that Reigan can't cook, and the table already has plenty of food spread across it. She saw something, about him.

"Of course," he said and followed after her. They seemed to leave the small celebration unnoticed, but Hiei was already sitting on the kitchen counter when they arrived. Reigan stopped walking when she noticed him, and Kurama looked back and forth between them.

"I know that look. What did you see?" Hiei asked her. Reigan crossed her arms as she glared across the kitchen at him, but Hiei's face remained impassive. Eventually Reigan huffed and walked over to where he was sitting. She leaned her elbows against the counter next to Hiei, but her eyes focused on his.

"I'm sure you remember Shikaku?" she asked him after a moment. Kurama is sure that he will never forget the raven demon. The way her whole body froze as she looked at him and the look in her pale blue eye; he'd looked into her eye and felt a shock go through him, and the feel of her gloved hand on his cheek was somehow more intimate than any other act he'd done over the centuries. At the time, Yoko hadn't been able to admit that she frightened him. Not even to himself.

"She is hard to forget." The raven has been absent since Reigan's release. Reigan said she saw Shikaku frequently over the thousand years that she watched over Raizen's bloodline, but the raven demon went into seclusion right before Reigan was sealed. No one has seen her since.

"I haven't been able to feel her. Not once since coming back, which should be impossible because I have so much of her energy. I know she's alive though because she contacted Hiei not long after I was released, to warn him about my energy becoming unbalanced. Nothing since then."

"Until now." It's a guess, but she wouldn't bring this up otherwise.

"She wants me to tell you that she needs a cure for the ku of a snake. Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Ku of a snake…it's a more ancient form of poisoning, and it's rare. Most healers wouldn't even think of it.

"Yes. It's a very specific kind of poisoning, a combination of venom and energy. Does she need the cure now?" He'll need a centipede demon and some rare herbs, and the antidote takes time to be produced. Even if he had all the ingredients on him right now, it would be weeks before the antidote was ready.

"No. She said she'd need when we finally get to meet again, but she wasn't very specific about the time. Just said to start working on it as soon as possible. Should I be worried, Kurama? Is she in some kind of serious danger?" Reigan is the seer, so she shouldn't be asking him. She really must be blocked from seeing Shikaku.

"Not if the antidote is ready in time. I can start now?" He wants to support Kuwabara, but he doesn't want someone to die because he waited too long to start working. He doesn't want Shikaku to die. He has a few questions for the raven demon.

"I don't want to worry the others. Start first thing tomorrow?" Reigan was biting on the inside of her bottom lip, he could tell by the way her lip moved and her jaw worked, so what she saw must have really shook her up.

"What will you tell the others? Keeping secrets rarely ends well," he pointed out. Since the end of the first Demon World Tournament, they've all tried to be more honest with one another. To not keep secrets. It goes against his nature, but he trusts the people in this house.

"I'll tell them that an old friend contacted me. They know about Shikaku, but I'll wait until tomorrow. Today is for Kazuma. Which reminds me, you better congratulate him when we go back in there." Reigan turned to Hiei as she said the last sentence, and Kurama watched the exchange with interest. Hiei actually smiled down at her. It was more of a smirk, but it was more of a reaction than most people get from him. Except for Yukina.

"What's in it for me?" Hiei asked her. The two do seem relaxed around one another, and he's noticed that Hiei talks to Reigan more than he does the rest of them.

"I'll let you use my mace the next time you train with Yusuke." He could just see the edge of Reigan's grin as she looked up at Hiei, and Hiei was looking down into her eyes as he thought it over.

"Make it the Morningstar, and I won't call him an oaf."

"Call him that, and I'll use the Morningstar on you. The big one." They seemed to be locked in a staring contest, until Hiei huffed a few minutes later and slipped off the counter.

"Deal." Reigan clapped as Hiei walked off, and Kurama turned his head to watch his friend walk back towards the dining room. Reigan reached his side, and he looked down at her clearly happy face.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" Her cheeks flushed the smallest bit as she looked up at him, and she lightly shook her head.

"It's nothing like that. We're just friends," she said and started walking again. Kurama followed her back into the dining room, where everyone was just starting to sit down, and he listened to Hiei say a quick congratulations to Kuwabara. He even used his surname instead of some insulting nickname. Just friends. Interesting.

 **.xXx.**

" _Rei, I know you can hear me. Stay calm. I'm okay. I need you to tell Kurama to make me a cure for the ku of a snake. He'll know what I'm talking about. I don't know when I'll need it, I can't see that clearly, but he has time to make it. I'll need it when we finally see each other again. Soon. Enjoy this happiness while you can, my friend."_

Reigan's eyes dried out as she stared up at her ceiling, because she can't fall asleep. She just keeps repeating Shikaku's words, over and over, while trying to see her. When Shikaku spoke to her, she'd only been able to hear her friend's strained voice. A glimpse of her pale face. The rest of her was lost in shadows. What is she up to? Where is she? Reigan can't see her, can't sense her…It doesn't matter how hard she tries to focus, she can't find the raven. The raven!

"It's a bad idea." Hiei's voice came from her balcony as she sat up, and she kicked the thin sheet off of her. She joined Hiei out on the balcony, and she looked up at the shining stars as she reached behind her. The sound of her tee shirt ripping filled the air, and Hiei raised his brow at her. Taking her shirt off would have been easier, but she's been so careful about staying covered. She's not going to end that streak now.

"The raven can find her," she said and dug her fingers between her shoulder blades. The pain was searing, and she closed her eyes as she pulled on the energy under her skin. The raven cried out as it was pulled free, and Reigan moved her right arm back in front of her. Sharp talons gripped her wrist, and she ran her left hand over the raven's glossy black feathers.

"It won't work." She cut her eyes over at Hiei, because she does not need his negativity right now. He rolled his eyes so that she could see before looking away, and she looked back at her raven. It's a little larger than the average raven, and its size can change depending on her will. Summoning it and controlling it takes more of her energy than the vine or the feathers, so she rarely uses it.

"Find Shikaku. Show her to me." Dark blue eyes glittered up at her, and she raised her arm. The raven took flight, and she watched the sky until it disappeared. If she focuses, she can see what the raven sees. It's headed towards Demon World, so she at least has a starting point now.

"You're going to get hurt, but you already know that." There's a very good chance of that, yes.

"I have to at least try. She'd do the same thing for me." Once Raizen took over Tourin, Shikaku became her closest friend. Her teacher. She owes the raven so much, so she can at least try to see how her friend is faring. Possibly go rescue her if she's gotten in over her head.

"The Jagan doesn't like it." She tilted her head at that as she looked at the bandage wrapping around Hiei's forehead, but she's not getting anything off of the Jagan. She thinks the Jagan took her request for staying out of things a little too seriously sometimes.

"The Jagan doesn't tell me what to do, and neither do you. Besides, it's already too late. We've crossed over into the Demon World. We'll find her."

Reigan had to close her eyes so that she could focus on the raven, and her hands gripped the balcony railing to help her stay upright. She could feel Hiei nearby, but she couldn't concentrate on him right now. She has to focus her energy on the raven, on staying in control as the raven flies across the Demon World. Half an hour later, the raven reached Tourin. To Reigan, it felt like hitting an invisible barrier. She forced the raven into Tourin's territory and tried to focus her sight, and the raven greedily took her energy to complete its mission. Too much of her energy…she was starting to lose control. To lose herself. Hiei caught her as she starting falling to the side, and he growled quietly as he walked into her bedroom. She was placed back on her bed, and Hiei pressed his right palm against her forehead. His eyes closed, and she could feel the Jagan connecting with her mind.

 _The energy is faint but coats Tourin; the energy has been here for thousands of years, and it will take thousands of years for the energy to disappear. The raven perched on top of the highest tree, but she cannot be found. Her energy is too faint, and there is no trail. No trail. Cannot be found. Cannot see her._

" _We have failed! We have failed!" The energy is alive, she is alive, but she cannot be seen. The raven's neck stretched as it cried out, and its wings spread as it left the tree. It went high into the air before suddenly changing directions, and another cry sounded as the raven headed straight for the ground. Straight down. Without slowing. Down, down, down._

"Reigan! Stop it!"

 **.xXx.**

His command went mostly unheard; Reigan twitched against the bed, but she's lost control. She gave the raven an order, and now she's lost control of it. She cried out as the raven drove into the ground at full speed, and Hiei nearly winced at the sound of breaking bones. Blood flew from Reigan's face at the moment of impact, and her neck and spine twisted at different angles. She's lost control and took on the raven's injuries. She's completely lost herself, and he did his best to hold her still as she shook against the bed.

"What the hell, Hiei?!"

"Grab her legs!" he called over his shoulder. There was a pause, and he grit his teeth before looking over his shoulder at the doorway. "Now, Kuwabara!"

"What's wrong with her?" Kuwabara asked as the bed dipped with his weight. He pressed his hands against Reigan's knees and managed to stop her from kicking out, and Hiei pressed her shaking arms tight across her stomach.

"She's a fool. I can take the time to explain, or I can fix it. You choose." What he needs to do is invasive, more invasive than anything they've done so far, and it's going to take a lot of his energy. He'll be weak afterwards. Vulnerable. He looked back at Kuwabara again, because he needs permission before he does anything. Reigan can't give it, so he's asking her son. Her son that he rarely gets along with, but he can admit to himself that he trusts Kuwabara. Trusts his judgment and trusts that he'll do what's right.

"Help her," Kuwabara said after a few more moments.

"She needs to lie on her stomach." Together, they rolled Reigan over until she was lying on her stomach. Her body was still shaking, violently, and her sheets were covered with blood. Hiei pushed her long hair out of the way, because it's unbraided tonight, and moved the top of her shirt out of the way. It's a good thing she ripped it, because he has a clear view of her bare upper back. The vine still stretches across her back, and he placed his palm flat between her shoulder blades.

"Hiei?" Kuwabara sounded worried, and he should be. Hiei's not even sure if this will work.

"Keep us still, and don't try to stop the raven."

The Jagan opened as he pushed against her back and pushed into her mind, and Reigan screamed as his energy tried to overtake hers. She's stronger than him, not by much, but it's enough to make things difficult. She's fighting against him on pure instinct, trying to drive him out. The Jagan gave him the extra push that he needed, and he took over her mind. Too much assaulted his senses; there was so much locked away inside of her mind. So many years and secrets, so much pain and knowledge. It made it hard to focus, but he had to push past everything. He needs the raven.

" _The pain will keep you immobile for days. You will beg for a death that will not come, but you will be stronger. Are you ready to begin?" The raven's energy was stronger than hers, so much stronger as it pushed through her. Pushed and pushed. Reigan screamed, begged, and gave in. Let the power rush through her and empower her._

That was when she first received the raven's power. When Shikaku gave some of her energy to Reigan, to make her stronger. So Reigan could help Raizen kill their father. The Mad Mazoku.

" _You are Reigan. Friend, protector, sister. Never let go of who you are."_

Reigan is more than that. She's a mother, an aunt, a guardian. She's lost herself inside of the raven, while trying to find Shikaku. While trying to find the very person who told to never forget who she really is.

" _Do not be afraid, my sweet Reigan. The Mazoku were built to withstand the greatest of suffering, and you will survive this."_

Reigan has suffered. He can feel it, somewhere deep in his own energy now. It's the kind of pain that doesn't even truly have a name. Suffering doesn't come close. She doesn't deserve this pain. She was only trying to help, to do something good, and she does not deserve this.

" _You will be rewarded, Rei, but you will suffer first. Have faith, my friend."_

" _Faith in what?"_

" _In destiny, of course."_

Their laughter thundered through his mind until he could only hear Reigan's cries, and he couldn't tell if it was from the memory or from the woman currently pinned under him. He doesn't want to see this! He doesn't need to see this!

" _Focus, Hiei. I know there's a lot stuffed inside of her pretty head, but those are her burdens. Not yours." He remembers Shikaku's voice; it's softer than Reigan's and each word holds too much knowledge._

" _You did this to her." Bitterness flooded his mouth, and he finally felt the raven. It's composed of Reigan's energy, but Shikaku's energy echoes inside of it._

" _I know. She's always been stubborn, so I should have known she'd do something drastic. I had to contact her, just like you have to save her. Take control, Hiei, and save her." His energy engulfed the still raven, and he focused on healing it. Mending it. His body stopped shaking once the raven was fully healed, but Reigan will not be in control again until the raven is back where it belongs._

" _Did you see this too?" he asked as the raven streaked across the sky. It's fast. Faster than the feather. It will still take it at least an hour to return. An hour of Reigan writhing in pain as she fights against his energy and for control._

" _No. That's not how it works. We see the path when the path is decided. Tell her I'm sorry." He knew Shikaku was gone, because he couldn't feel her presence anymore. He could still taste the bitterness of her guilt on the back of his tongue._

" _She is strong. She will endure." The raven dipped as he growled, and he quickly refocused on returning the raven to Reigan. If he loses control, the raven will probably dive back into the ground._

" _I do not have the time, or patience, to deal with you right now!" He put up with Shikaku because he was hoping for something useful, but he is not putting up with the Jagan's preference for Reigan right now. He needs the Jagan to focus on returning the raven._

 _He felt it when the raven crossed back into the Human World, and he kept pulling it back towards them. Back to Reigan. It startled to struggle as it got closer, and Hiei could feel himself weakening. He's been fighting against Reigan and the raven for over an hour now, because he couldn't get the raven to fly as fast as Reigan could. He focused on the raven, on bringing it closer, and he could see through the raven's eyes. Everyone was in Reigan's room, forming a half-circle around the bed. Reigan was lying flat on her stomach, with her fingers clenched down into the mattress next to her head. He was kneeling next to her, with his hand still pressed between her shoulder blades. They were both covered in sweat and blood, from their fighting energy. He removed his hand as the raven got closer, and he forced it back into her skin. Forced it into dormancy once more._

"Hiei?" Her voice was hoarse, and he slumped down against the bed next to her. His cheek pressed against the bed, and they were at the same eye-level.

"I told you…it was…a bad idea." He's tired. Tired in a way that he's never been before.

"Thanks…for…bringing me back." She's tired. Tired in a way that she rarely shows.

"Fool."

"Friend."

They passed out at the same time.

 **.xXx.**

"Can someone please explain what the hell just happened?" Yusuke asked once the room had been quiet for a solid minute.

"I've got nothing," Kuwabara said first. He told them what he saw when he first walked in, and what Hiei had said. Kuwabara made the right choice, but Yusuke hates feeling this confused.

"Mother must have lost control." Shizuru's voice was quiet as she turned Auntie Rei's desk chair around, and she slumped down into it. They watched…whatever that was for about an hour. They'd all been too tense to leave or to even sit down because that, whatever it was, was brutal. Every now and then there'd be a spark of energy, red or dark blue, and fresh blood would stain the bed. The weirdest thing? Hiei and Auntie Rei had been completely silent the whole time, except for the end. When the raven flew into the room and melted back into Auntie Rei's back. The words had been quiet though, and they passed out immediately after their quick exchange.

"Lost control?" Kuwabara asked. After they passed out, Botan darted out of the room to go tell Genkai and Yukina what had happened. They needed to be healed, and Yukina was the best at it.

"Mastering the vine and feathers was easy, but the raven was harder. She told me once that she didn't think she really mastered it. It was a part of Shikaku, had too much of her energy, and that the raven took over her sight. I just don't understand why she was using it."

"What did she normally use the raven for?" Kuwabara asked.

"To see. Physically and as an extension for her extra sight. She can command the raven and usually control it, so I don't know what happened. It must have been pretty bad if Hiei had to use his energy to take over control," Shizuru explained.

"Is that what that was?" Kuwabara looked just as confused as him, so at least he's not alone in this.

"You saw their energy. Hiei had to take control, and Mother's energy rebelled. Probably on instinct. We should thank him when he wakes up. Mother could have died if she stayed like that." He knew it looked bad, but he didn't think it was _that_ bad. Yeah, the bed looks like something out of a cheesy horror flick, but he's seen more blood in a friendly spar.

"Huh. I guess we owe the little guy," Yusuke said after a moment. He loves his auntie, and he's not ready to say goodbye to anyone else.

"Think we should move them somewhere more comfortable?" Kuwabara asked. Dried blood does get itchy after a while, and Auntie Rei will be lucky if she doesn't have to get a new mattress.

"Yeah," Yusuke sighed. He and Kuwabara moved over to the bed, and they were close to grabbing Hiei when a loud yell stopped them.

"Don't touch them!" Genkai was standing in the doorway, and he and Kuwabara froze with their hands hovering over the bed.

"Why?" Yusuke asked. Instead of answering, Genkai reached behind her and pulled her braid over her shoulder. She pulled off the hair-tie at the end and shot it towards the bed, and he jumped back as energy crackled around Hiei and Auntie Rei. It was like there was some kind of force field around them; one that was strong enough to turn Genkai's tie into ash.

"What is that?!" Kuwabara yelled and pointed at the bed.

"If you would use your senses, you would know. Their energy is still connected and keeping them protected. That energy will perceive anything as a threat, blood relation or not. We can't touch them until they wake up," Genkai said slowly. He squinted back at the bed, and he could just make out a few threads of different colored energy over their bodies. Weird. "We should rest. There's nothing we can do for them now."

"But they'll be okay?" Kuwabara asked. Yukina was standing behind Genkai, and she was looking worriedly at the bed.

"They'll be fine once they're stable, and we'll get our answers after they wake up." Genkai ushered them out of the room, and Yusuke took one last look at the bed before walking out. They looked okay, so he's going to trust Genkai on this one.

 **.xXx.**

" _We're being lazy." His voice was quiet, just loud enough for her to hear, and her cheek nuzzled against his shoulder. They're sitting side by side on the railing…they're on the balcony outside of Tourin's throne room. Everyone else is inside the palace, farther down. He can feel them, and he knows they're all safe._

" _I like being lazy." One of his arms is wrapped around her shoulders, holding her against his side. Both of her arms are wrapped around his middle, but it's a loose hold. His legs are hanging off the edge, but hers are pulled up and crossed on the railing. His other hand is on her knee, mostly to keep her stable. She fell off the railing last week, so he's trying to prevent that from happening again._

" _No you don't. You're just as bad as the rest of them." She moved her head so that her chin was propped on the end of his shoulder, and she was smiling when he looked over at her. This close, she was all that he could see._

" _Admit it. You think our antics are funny." His thumb tapped against her knee as he thought about it, and she dug her fingers into his ribs. They both nearly fell over the edge as he jumped, and she laughed as he scowled at her. Glaring at her has never worked._

" _I think all of you are fools." Her cheek pressed back against his shoulder, so he couldn't see her smile, but he knows that she is. The infuriating woman is always smiling._

" _That's not a no." He leaned his head to the side so that he was resting against her, and he smiled where she couldn't see._

 **.xXx.**

His eyes opened, and Reigan's face filled his line of sight. It took him a moment to remember what happened, why he felt so drained, and then Reigan's eyes opened. The dark blue color glazed over, and he waited while she went over everything that happened. She'd been out of control, so it took her some time to process it. When her eyes cleared, she smiled at him. They're both still lying face down on her bed, close but not touching, so her smile was a little lopsided. Her fingers popped as she pulled them out of the mattress, and she lightly flexed her fingers to get the circulation going again.

"Did you see it?" Before he woke up, he saw something. He's caught flashes of her extra sight before, like when she heard Shikaku, so he knows what the extra sight feels like. What he saw, it felt like that. He is not a seer though.

"It was warm," she whispered. They've sat on railings before, but never like that. Never so close.

"Were we friends? Lovers? Mates?" They'd looked comfortable with each other, content, but he couldn't tell. All he knows is that he was sitting with Reigan, and he'd been happy.

"Does it matter? We were happy, weren't we?" It felt like his arm was moving at a snail's pace across the mattress, and he took her hand in his own. Her smaller hand easily fit against his, their fingers laced, and he closed his eyes.

"We were."

 **.xXx.**

The next time she woke up, Reigan felt a little more clear headed. Not clear headed in the sense that she felt no pain, because her head was pounding, but she could make sense of everything. Remember everything. She can't believe that she lost control like that. She's lost control of the raven before, but never like that. Never for so long. It was like the raven completely took her over, and she couldn't find a way out. She didn't even recognize Hiei's energy when he tried to pull her back. Speaking of Hiei, the fire demon might have saved her life. The raven was determined to beat itself against the hard ground, and Reigan was dying right along with it because of how connected they were. If Hiei hadn't taken control, she wouldn't be here.

"Get up, Reigan. It's your turn to shower." She forced her eyes open and rocked onto her side so that she could look up, and Hiei's dark eyes looked down at her. He's freshly showered and in clean clothes, and he looks just like he always does. Everything's still the same, but it's different too. He saw things, part of her past, and felt her emotions. They saw a piece of their future.

"You saw," she said as she pushed herself up. There's dried blood on her, and it's flaky and itchy.

"Shikaku said that you only see the path once it's been decided. What did we decide to see that?" She can remember hearing Shikaku's voice, but her friend had been talking to Hiei. She can only remember it because of how connected she was to Hiei at the time.

"I don't know." He asked her what they were in that little slice of the future, and she asked him if it mattered because she didn't have the answer. She couldn't tell. They could have been any of the three choices. She was just happy to see them together.

"Get cleaned up. I'll get everyone into the den." She nodded at him, but she just didn't move to get off the bed until he had closed her bedroom door behind her. Only then did she pull herself off of the mattress, and she looked down at her ruined bed. Looks like she'll have to go shopping again soon.

Half an hour later, she was squeaky clean and sitting in the den in clean clothes. Everyone was sitting around her, and she took a few minutes to reassure her family that she was okay. Shizuru and Kuwabara were sitting on either side of her, and Yusuke was sitting on the floor at her feet and facing her. Each of them were touching her, and she hated that she'd worried them so much. Hiei was right; her idea had been a horrible one, but she had to try. She cleared her throat and then began speaking. She started with what she had seen the day before, well, what she heard since she didn't really see Shikaku. Then she explained her brilliant plan and how it all went downhill. She kept some things to herself, like the bits of her past that Hiei was able to see and the possible future she saw with Hiei. She just told everyone that Hiei had been able to take control of her energy, using his own energy and the Jagan.

"Do you really think she's in danger?" Botan asked when she was done.

"I haven't heard from her since I was released, and the first time I do it's so she can ask for an antidote? I'm thinking something has happened, but she can't tell me what," Reigan said and looked down at the reaper. The den is pretty good sized, but they're all sitting pretty close. Botan is sitting on the floor next to Yusuke, and Genkai and Yukina are sitting on the loveseat right next to the couch she's on. Hiei's perched on the arm of the loveseat next to Yukina.

"Can't or won't?" Genkai asked her. It's a valid question, and Reigan wished she had the answer.

"I don't know. My sight is…flawed. Subject to change. Usually more riddles than anything where the future is concerned. I'm good with the present and the past, but I've always struggled with the future. Shikaku? She's always been able to see all three, but she told me that she can't see that clearly. Sometimes things aren't meant to be seen until a certain time, but this didn't feel like that. I'm blocked from finding her, and I think she's blocked too."

"Should we be worried?" She looked over at Shizuru, and she remembered Shikaku telling her to enjoy this happiness. Enjoy it while she could.

"Probably, but not yet. There's no point in worrying until we know what to worry about." It's a bad answer, but it's all she has.

"We're doomed," Yusuke said and flopped back against the carpet. Botan yelled at him to stop being so negative, and Reigan noticed Hiei slipping off the end of the loveseat and moving back towards the kitchen.

"Well, if we're doomed, I'm going to have a drink. Anyone else?" Kazuma asked as he stood up. A few requests were made as he started walking towards the kitchen, where Hiei is. They sometimes get along now, but that doesn't stop her from worrying about the two of them being alone.

"I'll help him carry them," she said and quickly darted off after him. She thought she'd catch up to her son before he made it into the kitchen, but his stride is a lot longer than hers. She paused outside of the kitchen when she heard voices, and she peaked her head around the corner.

"Thank you." She couldn't see Hiei's face, because he was facing the counter and possibly making a sandwich, and Kazuma was standing in front of the open fridge. Hiei looked over at Kazuma after her son spoke, and she waited to see what he would say.

"For what?" She may love him, but he can be an oblivious idiot sometimes.

"For saving Ma. I know you two are friends or whatever, but you didn't have to help her. So I'm just saying thank you." Say something nice. Say something nice.

"We're on the same team, Kuwabara." She searched through her memories from when she was sealed, but she couldn't make a connection. Unless he's referencing their first match in the Dark Tournament? Kazuma had been worried about Hiei turning the Dragon on them, but Hiei told him he wasn't the type to betray an alliance. To betray his team. Hiei said something nice!

"You're not so bad, Hiei." Kazuma's arms were full now, and he'll be headed this way in a second.

"You're tolerable." Kazuma laughed as he started to walk out of the kitchen, and Reigan moved into the doorway.

"Hey, Ma! I got your drink," Kazuma said and looked down at his full arms.

"I just came to grab a snack. I'll be right behind you." He nodded and walked off, and Reigan walked into the kitchen. She stopped next to Hiei, and she couldn't wipe the grin off her face. He had a civil conversation with her son.

"Stop smiling. I didn't do it for you." He moved around her to the fridge, and she rolled her body across the counter so that she could keep looking at him.

"Are you ever going to tell him that you actually respect him? I think it'd mean a lot to him. You were really hard on him for a while." Hiei moved back to her other side with a drink in one hand, and he finally looked over and met her eyes.

"What's in it for me?"

"Some of that gross orange ice cream you love so much?" She knows that he doesn't ask because he actually wants something; he does it so that he can have an excuse for doing what she asks. Quid pro quo.

"I'll think about it. Now grab your sandwich and come on before they all follow us in here." He walked off with his drink and a sandwich, and she looked down at the counter. There was another sandwich on one of their smaller plates, but it was about twice the size of the sandwich that Hiei carried out. He really does know her.

"Sentimental fool," she whispered and followed after him.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I really enjoyed writing this chapter; mostly for the Hiei-Rei scenes, but also because I really love Shikaku's character. If there's any questions about anything that happened, please don't hesitate to ask.

If there's any typos or other errors, please tell me so that I can fix them. I'm too sleepy to properly proofread. Thanks for reading!

 **SakiHanajima1:** No one can convince me that Yusuke doesn't like blanket forts, or that Botan can persuade him to do pretty much anything. There was a lot more memory-sharing in this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it! As always, thank you for the review!

 **Aelthya:** That makes sense, and good luck on the youtube channel! And of course I love WN; Aria is precious and deserves love, which is why I read the update and reviewed. I'm so glad you love the family moments! I love writing the family moments, because I think all of the characters deserve to relax and be surrounded by the people that love them. Also, Yusuke and Kuwabara are my ultimate brotp. Just saying. Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** I just really love Christmas feels, because it's the perfect time to be sentimental! Okay, I might be setting up a Yusuke/Botan pairing, but nothing is definite yet. I finally got caught up on Reparation and sent a message, but it's really short. I'll try to reply to the longer one soon. I'm taking a nap after I post this, for several hours. Thank you for the review!


	18. Hiei-Is-Dying Theory

**Author's Note:** It's Sunday, and I'm updating on time! Finally, right? Also, prepare yourselves. It's _the_ chapter. Yes. That one.

(I'm on really strong allergy medicine so please excuse anything I say.)

 **Post Date:** 16 October 2016

 **Word Count:** 7420

* * *

 **Chapter Eighteen  
** **Hiei-Is-Dying Theory**

 **May 1997**

"Sweet Enma! I'm too old for this," Reigan groaned and dropped down beside him.

"You are the one that insisted we come," Hiei pointed out. The sky above them is dark, but the late hour hasn't slowed any of the demons down. It never seems to slow them down when they get into this kind of mood.

"We had to come! It's not every day that an orphan you helped raise gets mated, you know!" Reigan's voice was slightly drawled, probably from sneaking a drink from the bottle attached to Kokou's wrist, and Hiei wanted to sigh at the ridiculousness of it all.

"I think they planned the celebration more than they did the mating." He could see the newly mated pair, and it looks like Kujou and Juri are arguing about how to dance. If that's what being mated looks like, he'll pass.

"Okay, so maybe they were a bit rash, but they're good together." She must be looking at someone else, even though her eyes are pointed towards the arguing mates. He must have looked confused, because she huffed and started waving her arms about as she explained. "Yeah, they're yelling, but you have to look past that. See their body language? They're open towards each other, not closed off, and they can't stop touching. They only have eyes for each other, no one else. The rest of the world doesn't exist."

"She just hit him." Everything Reigan said is true, but Juri did just slug her mate in the gut.

"And he's still looking at her like no other being has ever existed before her." Reigan's speech gets too flowery when she's drunk. Or sleepy. If this celebration doesn't end soon, she's going to start trying to rhyme. He can't watch that again. (They came to the Demon World for last Valentine's Day, and Reigan and Chu had tried out-rhyme each other. He's still trying to scrub the memories from his mind.)

"If you say so." The celebration is taking place behind the palace, and they're sitting on the side of a grassy hill. They can see all of the dancing, and fighting, demons from where they are. Yukina was dancing with Botan, Yusuke was dancing with Kokou, and Shizuru was dancing with Yomi.

"Yomi! Put your hands where I can see them!" Reigan had been reclined against the grassy hill next to him, but she was sitting up now and pointing at the Demon Lord. Laughter came from the dancing pair, and Shizuru twisted around in Yomi's arms so that she could face her mother.

"I can take care of myself, Mother!" Shizuru called up to them. Reigan pouted as she crossed her arms, but Shizuru looks happy. She's smiling in a way that he's never seen, and it's something that he'd rather not see. He likes Shizuru, for the most part. She's not as loud as the others, and she actually pays attention to his training. Unlike Yusuke.

"She is an adult now, Reigan," he said quietly. The pout had turned into something a little sadder and more serious, and she slumped back against the ground. Looks like she's decided to go melancholy instead of poetic.

"I know. She's old enough to make her own decisions, and I guess she could do worse than Yomi. Even if it is for only a night." Reigan pushed herself back up and pointed at them again. "Hurt her and I'll kill you, Yomi!"

"Mother!"

"I'll behave!" Yomi yelled back. Reigan rolled her eyes and fell back, so she didn't see her daughter whisper something into one of Yomi's ears. Going by the look on the goat's face, it's a good thing that Reigan didn't see it. The last thing the celebration needs is a riot, which is what will probably happen if Reigan decides to kill one of the Demon Lords.

"Stop worrying so much."

"He's right, Rei! Come dance away the worry!" Reigan squealed as she was suddenly lifted into the air, and Souketsu laughed as he tossed her over his shoulder. She was laughing by the time they reached the others, and her and Souketsu easily fell against each other. Souketsu is one of the few people that Reigan will actually dance with, and she always looks happy when she dances with him.

"Are you trying to set them on fire?" He'd watched Mukuro approach from the corner of his eye, and he watched as she sat down next to him. Her head tipped back as she drank something that smelled vile, and he realized that he was technically still looking at Reigan and Souketsu.

"If I wanted them on fire, they'd be on fire." Mukuro laughed, a louder and more carefree sound than he's used to hearing, and he turned to fully look at her. Maybe she snuck some of the Queen's drink as well?

"I never thought you'd be the type to be so obvious."

"What are you going on about now?" Instead of answering him, Mukuro reached inside of her vest and pulled out a leather case. She handed it over to him, and he popped the lid open. Three vials were inside, long and a little wide, with a green liquid inside of them.

"I meant to give them to you the last time you were here, but it slipped my mind. There's one for you, Reigan, and Yusuke." He checks in with Mukuro regularly, usually while the others are visiting Kuwabara at school, and she's never once mentioned needing to give him something.

"What is it?" He hopes he's not meant to drink this. The green liquid looks like some kind of poison. It's nearly glowing in the dark.

"A supplement. Enki, Kokou, Yomi, and I have been taking it since the end of the first Demon World Tournament. Five years without any adverse side effects." That does not answer his original question, but it does raise some other questions. Like why he wasn't informed of this sooner.

"You still haven't told me what it is." He'll bring up her secrecy later. Right now, he wants to know what he's holding.

"Do you know why the S-Class are so strong? How we keep that strength?" At his blank look, she grinned and bared her teeth. "We feed. We consume spirits so that we can maintain our energy; it's how demons were able to go beyond the A-Class. Normally a demon cannot enter the S-Class without first consuming spirits, until you lot came around. You, Yusuke, and Kurama are the only S-Class demons that have not consumed spirits to attain your rank. It's a good thing too. After that first spirit, the hunger becomes insatiable."

"Eating humans is outlawed," he pointed out. It's been outlawed for a few years now, but all of the S-Class demons below him look fine.

"Yes, it is. Even before this tournament business, feeding on humans was difficult. The Kekkai Barrier kept us from entering the Human World, but we found a way around that. We sent weaker demons to acquire our food for us and then Raizen rebelled against us. He fought against me and Yomi, kept us distracted, and feeding became even more difficult. We can consume demon spirits, but they don't keep us strong like human ones do."

"So you created a supplement to take the place of a human spirit," he realized.

"Yomi and I were growing weaker. The others only still have their strength because they went into seclusion and conserved their energy. Not all of us can be like Yusuke. Or you." Mukuro said the words easily, which is not something she would have been able to do when they first met. Admitting a weakness is never easy.

"Then why do Yusuke and I need a supplement?" He looked down at the vials again, and he doesn't need this. He has his own strength and doesn't need any help keeping it.

"Just in case. Yusuke eats nearly as much as Reigan does, and you know why she eats so much. Even if you have been unable to admit it to yourself, you know why her hunger is never satisfied." She eats more than anyone he's ever seen, and her intake is only increasing. She's always hungry. Always craving something.

"She fed on humans." It's not a secret. Reigan has admitted that she consumed spirits, both humans and demons, to grow stronger.

"For nearly five hundred years. After that, she only fed on demon spirits. I don't know how often she ate while she was in the Human World, but I know she hasn't consumed any kind of spirit since her release. Raizen only lasted for a century before his hunger caused his stomach to growl so loud that all of Demon World could hear it. Reigan is strong, but she's not Raizen. How long do you think she'll last?"

"You don't think she has Raizen's resolve?" While Raizen was dying, Reigan was watching over his bloodline and keeping them alive. She may have her flaws, but a lack of resolve is not one of them.

"I don't think she has Raizen's endurance," Mukuro corrected. Raizen lasted for a thousand years before the hunger killed him; how long would Reigan last if she stopped? He tucked the leather case into the left pocket of his pants and ignored the knowing look on Mukuro's face.

"How does she take it?" Drinking that much glowing liquid in one go might go ahead and kill her now.

"One teaspoon a week. One vial should last her six months." He nodded and turned back to look at the celebration, and he was surprised to see Reigan already looking at him. She was still dancing with Souketsu, but he was moving behind her. Their hands were clasped and raised high over Reigan's head, so that she was standing on her toes, and she smiled at him. He knows that she was smiling at him because she added in a wink for good measure.

"Nosy woman," he growled and glared as she laughed. Isn't she the one who keeps telling him that spying on others is considered rude?

"Hiei?" He stopped his glaring match to look over at Mukuro, and she looks…different. Softer than the woman he first met.

"What?" He looks up to Mukuro, in his own way. He respects her power and her rule, and he listens to her. Has learned from her. Mukuro parted her lips to speak but then paused. He was about to speak up again when she looked away from him and down at the celebration, towards the center of the dancers.

"Reigan, I need a few private words with my second in command. Give him permission to unburden himself." He turned to look at Reigan, and it was strange to see such a serious look on her usually happy face. Especially while dancing after several drinks. She was looking at Mukuro, and something passed between the two females. After a moment, Reigan turned to look at him and nodded.

"What was that?" he asked Mukuro. Reigan had turned around so that her back was facing them, and he knew that she wasn't listening to them anymore.

"I've known Reigan for nearly four thousand years. I know when she's eavesdropping, and I also know what it is like to know things that you should not. Reigan has told you about your future, hasn't she? Be honest with me, Hiei. Is that not what we promised each other?" He crossed his arms as he leaned back against the ground, and he realized what Reigan had just agreed to. She was allowing him to talk about their private life, because it is theirs. It is no one's business but theirs, but Reigan is giving him a chance to talk to someone. To talk to Mukuro.

"It is," he agreed quietly. Honesty amongst each other, that was what he agreed to when he became her second in command again. They could have their secrets but no lies. Perhaps, having a second opinion about Reigan's talk of destiny wouldn't be such a bad thing.

So he told her the truth. Everything that he currently knew, from the Jagan showing him a vision of Reigan while it was being implanted and up to the way he'd used his energy to control the manifestation of the raven on Reigan's back. Told her clipped versions of everything in between. All of the moments he spent in the Mazoku's presence and what they talked about, and they have talked about a lot over the past year. Whenever he asks Reigan a question, she answers it honestly. Even if that answer is that she doesn't have one. He even told Mukuro about the future he and Reigan both saw while their energy was still mixed. Mukuro listened to everything without making a sound, and she just looked at him when he was done.

"She saw your eyes the day I decided to rule Alaric. Do you think her sight is that powerful? Do you think she knew?" Reigan admitted to seeing moments between him and Mukuro while she was sealed, and she even grudgingly admitted that she'd been a little jealous but still happy for Mukuro. And for him.

"No. I don't think it works like that for her." The other one, however, is a different story.

"Seers are so unpredictable. Sometimes they're right on the mark, and other times they confuse the signs so much that they end up going in the opposite direction." Reigan is the only seer he has ever known; Shikaku doesn't count because he has yet to actually meet the raven demon.

"Which do you think this is?" The future that he saw haunts him, because he can't make sense of it.

"I think this is whatever you decide, Hiei. Reigan chose you thousands of years ago. I know she had a minor lapse on her vow, long enough to have two children, but that was with a human. With someone that she knew she couldn't be with, not for long. From the way you tell it, even her human lover knew that she'd already chosen you. The only question left is how do you feel?"

"I don't know." Mukuro's laugh was infuriating, but he managed to hold down his growl.

"You do. Look at her and tell me honestly how you feel." Hiei pulled himself back up so that he was sitting with his back straight and looked down into the sea of dancers. Reigan wasn't listening to them; if she had been, she probably wouldn't look so carefree. Her blonde hair is in its usual braid but being held on top of her head, so her neck and shoulders are exposed. He can see the silver chain of her locket; he's never seen her without it. The dress she's wearing is a dark violet, nearly the same color as the sky, and molds to her form. She's not very tall, she has to tip her head back to look at him in the eye, and her body is curved.

"She's confusing. She smiles and laughs too much, and other times she gets so lost in her memories and old misery that she's like a different person. She's constantly eating, and she likes to hold my hand when no one is looking. She explains the things I don't understand, and she loves me." The words fell out in what sounded like an angry rant, like one of Yusuke's tirades, but Mukuro just kept smiling at him.

"Do you want to be with her, Hiei?" _Yes_. She smiled at him differently than she did the others; there was a different kind of look in her dark eyes, and he seeks her out. Enjoys being in her presence. When did the foolish demon get so far under his skin?

"Maybe." Mukuro reached over to grab his shoulder, and Hiei narrowed his eyes over at her. He's had about enough of all of this.

"If you let her go, you're a fool." Mukuro's fingers curled around the shoulder of his shirt, and she easily pulled him off the ground as she got to her feet. She drug him down the hill and into the crowd, and he stumbled as she tossed him forward. Arms caught him and held him up, and he realized his arms were wrapped around a purple fabric colored waist. "I brought you a new dancing partner!"

"Mukuro! It's about time you took me up on my offer. It's only been, what, fifteen hundred years?" Mukuro was standing in the circle of Souketsu's arms, and he felt Reigan's hands move from his biceps and around his shoulders.

"You disappeared for a thousand of those," Mukuro said as she started to dance.

"They look good together, don't they?" He looked away from his boss and down at Reigan, but her dark eyes were looking over at Mukuro and Souketsu. She's still pressed up against him though, and her swaying body is causing him to move along with her.

"So you know what he's talking about?" He should stop this, should walk away, but Reigan's arms are looped completely around his neck. He can even feel her fingers lightly brushing against his hairline.

"Souketsu and the others had just returned from the Human World, still a little drunk on both power and probably too much alcohol, when Souketsu saw Mukuro. He propositioned the Demon Lord, and Mukuro gave him three reasons for why it wasn't going to happen." She kept one hand pressed against the back of his neck, and she moved her other hand in front of his face. Three fingers swept up from his jaw to his cheek, in a mirror of the scars on Souketsu's cheek. He didn't know Mukuro left those marks.

"She's not saying no now." Reigan was still lightly touching his face, gentle sweeps with her fingertips, and he realized his head was tilted so that he could feel more of her touch. Her eyes looked nearly black in the moonlight, and she pressed closer to him.

"Maybe she decided to finally let go and be happy." Reigan ducked her head down so that her cheek was pressed against his shoulder, and he kept one arm around her waist while the other one came up to lightly grip the back of her neck. She shivered, but he knows that she's not cold. He knows that, but he's not going to do anything about it. Not yet.

"Soon," he promised.

 **.xXx.**

"Oh, they look so sweet! Don't you think so?" Botan sighed. Yusuke rubbed his eyes before looking around to see what the reaper was talking about this time, but there were a lot of dancing couples spread around. Well, some of them might not be dancing. Do demons have no shame?

"Do you think they're, you know?" Yukina whispered. Yukina! They should shield her eyes or something; if Hiei finds out his sister can see the truly terrifying things happening on the impromptu dance floor, he'll kill them all. Where is the little guy anyway?

"I don't know. They do talk a lot, but I've never seen them do anything else. Hiei does look sort of happy when he's with her though." Wait, what? Who makes Hiei happy? Yusuke leaned to the side as he tried to follow their line of sight, and he nearly fell over. He managed to right himself by throwing an arm around Botan's shoulders, but the reaper just lightly patted his chest and continued to talk to Yukina.

"I think she'd be good for him. She's always been so kind to me, and I know she's been helping him." Hiei needs help with something? Well, he could use tips on how to be more social. He used to anyway. He's been pretty good about that lately. Auntie Rei even manages to get him to talk at meals and…wait. He just saw spiky black hair, and that's definitely Hiei. Or his less evil twin. Not Yukina. Like identical twin. He's gotta stop accepting drinks from Kokou at these things.

"Hiei and Auntie?!" His voice was a little higher than usual as Hiei turned around, and that's definitely his auntie. In Hiei's arms. With her eyes closed and pressed really close against him. Holy shit. Is Shizuru seeing this? Where's she at?

"Honesty, Yusuke, haven't you been paying attention at all?" Botan asked him. His mouth gaped as he looked at her, and she's smiling with a blush across her cheeks. "Don't you think they look sweet together?"

"Yes, they make a perfect killer couple," he drawled. Dark red eyes opened to glare at him, and Yusuke forced himself to smile at Hiei's murderous look. Apparently the fire demon can hear them. Does Botan know that?

"I think they make each other better," Yukina said and smiled. Hiei's look softened, less murder and more maiming, and Yusuke really thought about it. Sometimes Auntie Rei gets this really dark look in her eyes, it's a look that Raizen got a few times when he went really quiet, but she doesn't get that look around Hiei. She looks lighter around him, and Hiei actually smiles sometimes when Auntie Rei talks to him. He's also been nicer over the past year. Easier to talk to. He's even called Kuwabara by his surname a few times.

"Huh, I guess they do. Go Auntie Rei and Hiei!" Botan quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, but no one heard him. Except for Auntie Rei and Hiei. Hiei's look was down to just a small act of violence, and Auntie Rei was smiling softly with her eyes barely open. She's looking at him though.

"Hush, you! They are clearly still working through some things, so don't ruin this! Also, I'm sure they won't make any decisions until they talk to Shizuru and Kuwabara." Right, because they're Auntie Rei's kids. Auntie Rei will definitely want to give them a heads-up before she starts dating Hiei. Dating…Hiei. Hiei…dating…Reigan. Kuwabara's mother.

"Hiei's going to be their stepdad! I gotta see the look on Kuwabara's face when he finds out!" Botan was doing her best to muffle his voice, but the couple in question heard them. Auntie Rei was glaring at him, just a little, and Hiei's look was shocked. Ha! Hiei totally forgot to think about the fact that he was into Kuwabara's mom!

"I'm sure Kazuma will be very supportive," Yukina said and nodded once. Yusuke was laughing too hard to reply, and Botan groaned as she stopped covering his mouth.

 **.xXx.**

"Mother."

"Shizuru."

The two women looked at each other, but the serious looks only lasted for a few seconds. Then Reigan was laughing and Shizuru was smiling, and Reigan lightly patted the spot next to her on the couch. Shizuru fell into the spot, and Reigan pulled her legs up to cross them under her. It feels good to be back home, and she likes spending time with her daughter. Especially when she's in such a light mood. Shizuru tipped her head back against the couch, and Reigan waited for her to talk. She knows that Shizuru wants to, and her daughter picked the perfect time.

"Where are the others?" Shizuru asked.

"Yusuke and Botan are still upstairs sleeping it off, and Hiei is still in Alaric. He should be back later today." The celebration only lasted for three days, and Hiei left with Mukuro on the third day.

She'd enjoyed the second night the most, because spending so much time that close to Hiei was…nice. It made her happy. She'd gotten a little worried when Yusuke, Botan, and Yukina noticed them. The girls were supportive, and Yusuke was too. When they'd all started back into the palace for some rest, Yusuke had slapped Hiei on the back and promised to rip his head off if he broke her heart. It was touching. Hiei told him to stop being such a moronic fool, but that only made Yusuke laugh and the girls giggle. Then Hiei had walked her to her room and told her goodnight, which was just fine with her. He was just starting to really think about his feelings for her, and she had a feeling that she had Mukuro to thank for that. So when he told her the next morning that he was leaving for Alaric with Mukuro, she wished them well. He'll come to her when he's ready, and she's enjoying just being his friend for now. She likes getting to know him.

"You can ask me about it." Ah, yes…the third day. Reigan spent the day with Yusuke, Yukina, and Botan. The three of them didn't bring up Hiei or any of their future plans, and Reigan was grateful for it. If her and Hiei decide to become something more than friends, she'll tell the others. Shizuru had been absent the whole day and night, and she didn't see her daughter until they prepared to leave close to dawn this morning. It's still early in the afternoon, but she's had plenty of time to practice recovering from a few nights of celebration.

"You were right. You are old enough to take care of yourself now, you're an adult, and you decide your own life. When you are ready to talk about it, I am ready to listen." Shizuru isn't a little girl anymore, and Reigan can't control her life. She's not going to. Her and Eiji, and Genkai, raised Shizuru into a responsible young woman. She trusts her daughter's judgment and life choices.

"Normally when a guy compliments me, I can tell that he's just trying to get into my pants. I don't know if it's because of my spirit energy or if it's a little bit of your genetics, but I can always tell." Her daughter is a very sensitive psychic. She's always been able to feel things clearly and read the intentions of other's. It's impressive. Maybe she does have a little sight. Reigan's never considered it before, but it's possible.

"And when Yomi compliments you?" On the third day, she went over their previous visits to the Demon World. They've only gone a handful times over the past year, but they've gone enough for everyone to start getting used to each other. Enki and Kokou love it when Kuwabara visits, because Enki enjoys talking to him about what he's learning and Kokou likes riding on his back. The three reporters call out to Botan, Yukina, and Shizuru whenever they see them. The past is blending with the present to create a future that she never predicted, but she loves watching it happen. She has noticed Yomi and Shizuru talking, a few dances here and there, but she hasn't noticed anything serious. Not until that second night of the mating celebration.

"He's not saying it because he wants something from me. He says it because he believes it. I'm not saying that I'm going to date the guy, we do live in different worlds, but I like being around him. We agreed to spend time together whenever I visit the Demon World, and that's enough for us. For now. Do you object?"

"Not if he makes you happy," she said honestly. Shizuru is old enough to make her own decisions, and Reigan does genuinely like Yomi. He's had a few rough spots in his past, but who among them hasn't? He's a good person now, and she likes seeing that little light in her daughter's eyes. If Yomi is the one who put it there, then she should thank him.

"He does. The same goes for you too." Reigan raised a brow at that, and Shizuru lightly poked above her raised brow. "I'm not as oblivious as everyone else in the house. I've seen the way you look at him, whether he's looking or not, and I've seen the way he looks at you. It's him, isn't it? Hiei is who you saw."

"He is." Shizuru overheard her and Eiji talking about what she'd seen once, and Reigan hadn't lied when her daughter confronted her about it. She'd told the truth.

"Father was right. You shouldn't be unhappy because of him; Father knew that your time together was limited and that you'd move on one day, and that's okay. That's what life is all about, right? If Hiei makes you happy, you should be with him. It's what Father would want. It's what I want." Reigan brushed the tears off her cheeks and then reached over to do the same for Shizuru.

"I knew that Eiji couldn't be my mate, it doesn't work like that between humans and demons, but I love him. I will always love your father." She sees Eiji every time she looks at one of her children, and she'll never let go of the love that she felt for him. It doesn't matter how much she loves Hiei or that she technically loved him first; Eiji showed her that there are some things that she can't see, and that love can be easy.

"I know, Mother. I've never doubted that, and…I think Hiei is good for you. You're good for him too." Shizuru's smile was gentle, and Reigan felt her daughter's hand lightly grip her own.

"You really think so?" she asked. Shizuru and Hiei have spent a lot of time together over the past few months, both during training and while meditating. Shizuru has improved under Hiei's teaching, and Reigan likes seeming them look so peaceful together when they meditate. Not that she can get too close, because Hiei says that she's too loud and breaks their concentration.

"Don't get me wrong, he's still stubborn and antisocial, but he's different with us. He was already getting better, but you've really helped him. He's also different when he's away from everyone, talks more. I guess he's just better at one on one conversations," Shizuru said with a quiet laugh.

"I'm glad you approve." She wouldn't be able to turn her feelings off if her children disapproved, but she might decide not to act on them without their blessing. She still feels like she owes them, both of them, even though they've both reassured her that she doesn't. They understand what happened and that it wasn't her fault, wasn't anyone's fault really, but they're her children. She's always going to hate that she missed out on spending twenty years with them.

"I'm not the child you have to worry about." Reigan paled a little as Shizuru laughed, and they both looked over as Yusuke and Botan shuffled into the room.

"Why are we laughin' at Auntie Rei?" Yusuke asked. Shizuru just laughed louder when Reigan hid her face with her hands.

 **.xXx.**

"Geeze, Hiei! Give a guy some warning!" Kuwabara yelled. He'd closed the door to his dorm room, thankfully a single now, and turned around to see Hiei sitting in his open window. His open window that was definitely locked before he left this morning.

"You shouldn't let your guard down." No explanation for why he was in Kuwabara's room.

"It's been a long day." That's only a part of it though. He doesn't really try to use his spirit energy at school; he does more of the opposite, to try and blend in. Maybe a little more vigilance wouldn't hurt though. The next demon that breaks into his room might not be as friendly.

"Your family is back home," Hiei reported. He wasn't sure why the fire demon was here and telling him this, because Ma and Shizuru called him this morning. Really early this morning. Ma might have still been a little tipsy, and Shizuru had sounded giggly. It was a little terrifying.

"Uhuh. Why are you here, Hiei?" He sat down in his desk chair and spun around to face the demon on his window sill, because Hiei doesn't come to visit him. Well, sometimes he comes with the others, but he usually goes back to the Demon World when everyone comes to the city to visit him. So why is Hiei here? "You don't even like visiting me!"

"I don't like the city. Too many people. It smells." Oh. That sounds more like Hiei. Still doesn't explain why the little guy is here now. Ma or Shizuru would have told him if something bad had happened while they were in the Demon World, unless something happened to them today.

"Just tell me what you want. I've got a paper due soon, so I need to get started." Hiei just crossed his arms and looked like he was really settling in, and Kuwabara had to remind himself that they're friends now. Tossing Hiei out the window would be rude, and someone would probably call the authorities on him for attempting murder.

"What are you writing on?" Hiei never asks about his classes. He congratulated him for finishing his third year, but he's pretty sure Ma made him. She had been looking intently at the back of Hiei's head and then smiled when Hiei congratulated him. Other than that, Hiei has never shown an interest in his schoolwork. Why would he start now?

"Dude, you'd tell me if you were dying, right?" That's the only reason he can think of for Hiei's weird behavior. Hiei is dying and is having some kind of change of heart. The corner of Hiei's eye twitched, but he didn't respond. Kuwabara is gonna take that as Hiei declaring that he's not currently dying. "It's for a history class."

"I thought you were taking classes to be a doctor."

"Vet," Kuwabara corrected on auto-pilot. Ma calls him a doctor all the time, so he's gotten used to making the correction. "You have to take classes on all the subjects, general studies, before focusing on one area. I should have already taken this, but I never really got around to it. So I'm taking it now."

"What time period?" He might have to revisit his Hiei-is-dying theory.

To his surprise, Hiei stayed in his room for the next several hours. Kuwabara had no idea that the fire demon was good at history, but Hiei knew a lot. Enough to help him with the paper he needed to write and then proofread it afterwards. It was weird. They've never spent so much time together without insulting one another, but they both seemed to hold back whenever they wanted to slip into hold habits. Kuwabara did it to keep the peace, but he wasn't sure what Hiei's reasoning was. He didn't question it either, not while the guy was helping him. He waited until after his paper had been corrected and after their dinner had been delivered.

"You ready to tell me what's going on? Because I'm expecting you to fall over dead any minute now," Kuwabara said and took another bite.

"I'm not dying, you idiot," Hiei snapped. The fire demon growled as he reached up to rub his temple, and Kuwabara waited to see if he was going to admit to actively dying. "You're not an idiot. You just say really idiotic things sometimes. Most of the time."

"Gee, thanks. Did you come all this way to tell me that I'm not an idiot?" It's dark outside now, but Hiei is still here.

"Are we friends?" Okay, Kuwabara wasn't expecting that. Wasn't expecting it so much that he nearly choked on his food. Hiei just watched as he coughed and chugged some water to clean out his pipes, and he took a moment to breathe properly before answering.

"Yeah, we're friends. You're annoying and watch impassively when I choke, but we're friends. Why? You don't think we're friends?" They definitely didn't start out that way. Hiei was insulting, rude, and a little evil. Definitely tipping towards the evil side of the scale at the time. Something changed during the Dark Tournament though. Maybe it was because they were fighting together to stay alive, or maybe Hiei changed because people actually trusted him for the first time. Kurama and Yusuke trusted him more than Kuwabara at the time, but still.

"You're annoying and loud, but we're friends." It sounded like each word had to physically be pulled out of Hiei, and he took a deep breath when the sentence was over. "I respect you, Kuwabara. Even before I found out you were half-demon."

"Okay, now I know someone is dying." He's felt like maybe Hiei respected him a little, especially after what they went through with Sensui, but he knows the fire demon would never say it!

"No one is dying, you oaf!"

"I'm calling Ma!" She'll tell him if anyone is dying. If she doesn't already know, her sight should tell her.

"I want to date Reigan!" Kuwabara froze with his phone in his hand and stared across the room at Hiei, who was looking down at the floor and furiously clenching his jaw. Hiei…and his ma?

"Been practicing that all day?" Kuwabara sounded like he was wheezing, and he realized it was because he wasn't taking full breaths. He should probably fix that. After he figures out what's going on between Hiei and his ma.

"It doesn't matter." That's a yes. Oh, man, Hiei has been practicing how to bring up dating his ma! Is that a good sign? "She'd be happier with your approval."

"Is that why you helped me today? To get my approval?" Hiei looked away from the floor and across the room, and he slowly shook his head from side to side once.

"It came to my attention that you possibly still believed that I hate you. I don't hate you. I just occasionally dislike you."

"Really not helping, Hiei." The fire demon huffed and crossed his arms, and Kuwabara finally took in a deep breath.

"There's nothing between us right now. We're only friends." That's a bit of a relief. Not because he doesn't want his ma to be with anyone, but he really hates being left out of everything. It's difficult because he's spent most of the past year at school, and he only gets to see his ma when she comes to visit or he has time off.

"But you care about her? And don't give me some tough guy answer either. I want the truth." Hiei has been more tolerable over the past few years, and he's definitely talked more the past few months. At least to Kuwabara. Is that because of Ma? Kuwabara has seen them talking quietly together, separate from everyone else, and he remembers the look on Hiei's face when Ma lost control to the raven. Hiei had been worried, bordering on scared.

"I care about her. I want a chance to be with her." Hiei looked uncomfortable, but he's gonna have to suck it up. This conversation is awkward for both of them, but they'll have to get used to it if things do work out.

"Two rules, and you've got my approval." Hiei perked up a little at that, and it was Kuwabara's turn to cross his arms.

"Rules?" Kuwabara wants his ma to be happy, and she does smile when Hiei is around. Hiei isn't the worst guy she could go for either; at least Kuwabara trusts the fire demon. Knows him.

"Rule number one, remember that she has other family. You two can take whatever time you want for yourselves, but I've only had a mother for a year and I don't wanna lose her yet." Hiei's eyes widened, because neither of them were expecting Kuwabara to be so honest. That has been one of his worries though. Ma spent most of her very long life in the Demon World, and he knows that she's going to go back someday. Her and Yusuke will both leave this world eventually, and he doesn't want to be left behind. He didn't feel like he was missing out growing up, but he likes having his ma around now.

"Family is important. I wouldn't come between you." Hiei's probably thinking about Yukina, and he knows that he cares about Yukina. It's written all across his face whenever she's around or even when her name is mentioned. Kuwabara also knows that Hiei and Shizuru have been spending time together, training, so maybe Hiei is only really worried about getting his approval.

"Rule number two, don't hurt her. I know things don't work out sometimes, and that's okay, but don't be a jerk. Ma's been through enough, and she needs someone that will make her happy. Got it?" He's sure he'll never forget the way his ma cried as she talked about her past; it was like she did nothing but cry those first few days. When she apologized for leaving them, for not being in his life. He knows she didn't choose to leave him and Shizuru, or Yusuke, but things happened the way they were supposed to. He accepts that, even if he doesn't always like it. That's the past though. Kuwabara cares more about the future.

"Got it," Hiei said quietly.

"Alright, you can tell her that she has my full approval. Now get out so I can go to sleep." Hiei smiled as he stood up, and it was an actual smile. Not a smirk or an evil looking grin. "And, Hiei?"

"What?"

"If you come on the next visit, we'll have a picnic in the park. Plenty of trees." Hiei nodded and jumped out of the window, and Kuwabara shook his head. Tonight has been weirder than weird, so he's going to go to sleep. He'll think about one of his friends dating his ma tomorrow.

 **.xXx.**

Hiei actually sighed in relief when he saw the house ahead of him, because it's been a long couple of days. Mukuro had him design a new training schedule for the army, because the newer soldiers are starting to slack off. It's all the peace. Makes them lazy. Then he spent most of the afternoon and night with Kuwabara, of all people, but it was needed. It had been more than awkward and annoying, because the fool assumed that he was only being nice because he was dying. If he was dying, he wouldn't be nice. He'd be pissed. The end of the night had been…strange. He's been meaning to go visit Kuwabara, because he knows that Reigan worries that Kuwabara still thinks that Hiei hates him. Hiei just really hates going into the city unless he has to.

"You…Kazuma…I saw…you really told him." His feet were braced on Reigan's railing, and her dark blue eyes were staring up at him. Huh. He went straight to her balcony instead of going to his own.

"Were you spying on me again?" He jumped off the railing to stand next to her, and her loose hair waved around her as she quickly shook her head.

"I was trying to sleep, and I wondered if you were okay. You said you'd be back today, but I hadn't heard from you. Then I saw…was that real? You asked Kazuma for approval to date me?" She sounded surprised, mostly, but also a little hopeful.

"Yes." There's no point in lying about it, especially if she's already seen the conversation. He was going to tell her anyway.

"The others approve too. Well, I don't know about Kai, but I don't think she'll really care either way. Yusuke and Shizuru will probably have a few things to say to you, and I want to talk to Yukina. One on one, to make sure she's okay with everything, and—"

"You talk too much."

He tangled one hand around her long hair to get her attention, and his other hand came up to lightly touch her cheek as he pressed his lips against hers. She was as soft and as warm as he remembered, but her taste was different. Sweeter. Her fingers flexed against his biceps as she pressed up against him, and her toes were braced on top of his boots. He didn't pull back away from her until his chest burned from the lack of air, and she looked up at him with a soft smile. He could still taste her when he licked his lips, and he watched the way that her eyes darkened.

"Stay with me tonight? Just, sleep beside me?" That didn't sound like a chore. He honestly wasn't sure if he could deny her anything right now. Not with the way she was looking at him, like he was her world.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** All together now…IT'S OFFICIAL! To some it might seem like it took forever, and to others it might seem like it's happening too soon. Remember this, Hiei and Rei have been in close proximity for over a year. They see each other practically every day, they talk. They started as friends and let their feelings develop naturally. Also, writing that Kuwabara-Hiei scene was the hardest thing I have ever done. So if it anything about that scene seems off, I'm sorry. I really did try my best.

To my old readers, this chapter is like a happy accident. It's Chapter 18 in this story, and Hiei and Rei are officially _Hiei and Rei_. In Chapter 18 of _"Love, Where Is Your Fire?"_ , Ray and Hiei saw each other for the first time. It wasn't planned, but I thought the chapters were close in number so I went back to the old story and double checked. I guess that shows just how different the two stories are.

As always, thank you so much to everyone reading! I'll update again next Sunday, hopefully on time.

 **FireStorm1991:** For once, I responded to your message before an update! I think I'm going to go with the Yusuke/Botan pairing. They're cute, in their own way. Haha, I do like foreshadowing. Possibly too much. The raven scene happened as I was writing, not much planning at all. Those scenes are usually my favorite; the ones that just kind of happen. Thank you for the review!

 **Kuesuno:** The raven is hard to control, so it's not used very often. It'll be used in future chapters though, because I think it's an interesting kind of power. There will eventually be conflict, more of a plot besides playing happy-family, but I'm planning on this being a long story. So there will be many fun chapters before things turn serious. Thank you for the review!

 **Aelthya:** You should be resting with a fever that high! I hope you're feeling better! This story is already looking like it's going to be a long one, so I didn't want to keep dragging things out. So, it's been a little over a year! Hiei and Rei are definitely connected, in many ways, but we'll have to wait and see if your energy prediction is true. And I hope you liked the Hiei and Kuwabara scene in this chapter! It was definitely longer than in the last chapter. Honestly, when I started this story, I was planning on a Yusuke/Koto pairing since I've enjoyed writing them together in _Enough_ so much. The Yusuke/Botan pairing is slowly growing on me though, as you can probably tell. Yusuke and Kuwabara will always be the ultimate brotp, and you know I love WN! Thank you for the review!

 **AriannaWolff:** I'm so glad you've enjoyed the story so far! I'm a fan of slow burn fics for Hiei too, but I didn't want to draw it out as long as I did in LWIYF. I love writing the small scenes, the family scenes, so those won't disappear just because the main pairing is now together. It's still new, and Hiei and Rei have a long way to go. So does everyone else. Thank you for the review!

 **Nevermorea:** I couldn't think of what Hiei would actually get the gang for Christmas, and then I thought of these weird novelty socks one of my cousins gives to everyone every year so that she doesn't have to buy actual presents. It seemed like a good fit to me. I'm glad you've been enjoying the story, and thank you for the review!

 **Goddess Nefertari 19:** Welcome to the story! I'm always happy to get new readers, and I'm glad that you've been enjoying it so far. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Your review is in my inbox but not on the actual review page. Weird. I'm still going to reply, because your reviews always make me smile. Yusuke and Hiei "fighting" will never cease to make me laugh, so there will probably be similar scenes in the future. Shikaku will eventually be in the story again; actually in the story and not just talking into someone's mind. I'm just not sure on when; I think this story is going to be a long one. As always, thank you for the review!


	19. Open Your Eyes, Reigan

**Author's Note:** I know it's been a while, but after I post the next chapter, I'll be completely caught up with my pre-written chapters. So updates might be a little slow since I'll need to go on another writing spree, but I'll stick to updating on Sundays. I'll keep this short so you can read, but there's important stuff in the Ending Note! As well as replies to reviews.

 **Warning:** Scene of a sexual nature. Nothing explicit, but it's there. Feel free to skip it.

 **Post Date:** 07 November 2016

 **Word Count:** 7790

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen  
** **Open Your Eyes, Reigan**

Reigan woke up slowly and started to stretch before she opened her eyes, and her hand ran along skin instead of her sheets. Her eyes popped open as she jumped into a sitting position, and she almost screamed before she remembered the previous night. Sometimes she can control her sight, and other times she can have just one little thought that can trigger something. Wondering about Hiei's whereabouts showed her Kazuma's dorm room, and she watched as her son and Hiei had a very serious conversation. About her. By the time Hiei returned to the house, she had nearly convinced herself that the whole thing was some kind of weird dream brought on by too much alcohol and nights spent dancing.

"Hiei, wake up. Wake up!" she yelled as she shook his arm. The shirt he was wearing was sleeveless, and she had grabbed his arm when she first woke up. He's lying in her bed on his back, and she watched as he opened one eye halfway.

"No. Too early. Go back to sleep." How can he expect her to sleep right now? They're together! Or something like that. Hiei kissed her last night; it was a mostly chaste kiss, but her face feels warm just thinking about it. Then he slept in her bed, for a full night, but they didn't really talk. They were both exhausted so they just fell asleep, but she fell asleep with Hiei's arms wrapped around her and her head on his chest.

"Are we dating now? Can we tell the others? How do you feel about public displays of affection?" Both of Hiei's eyes opened this time, and he looks kinda cute when he's still sleepy.

"Yes. Yes. Within reason. Can I continue sleeping now?" She sighed as she flopped back against the bed, and Hiei's arms wrapped around her waist and dragged her closer to him. She laid on her side as she pressed up against him, and she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder.

"Maybe just for a few more minutes." A yawn punctuated the end of her sentence, and she curled herself closer to Hiei's heat. Just a few more minutes.

The few more minutes turned into a couple of hours, because bright sunlight was spilling through the open balcony doors the next time that she opened her eyes. She was still lying halfway draped over Hiei, but he was awake now. She could feel his fingers combing through her hair, gently removing the tangles, and it was a good feeling. When she looked up at him, his eyes were closed and he looked peaceful. Content. Possibly even happy. She reached up to lightly touch his face, starting at his jaw and moving up towards his cheekbone, and his eyes opened.

"Can we stay here today?" Hiei smirked as he said it, and Reigan's whole body flushed with warmth. That idea sounds incredibly tempting, but she knows that they can't.

"We should tell the others, and we should probably, uh, take it slow." She doesn't want to make any kind of big decisions until the others know, even though they already kind of know, but they deserve to know that it's official. That something is official. They're still not clear on that. As for taking it slow…Hiei means a lot to her. She doesn't want physical desire to complicate things just yet, but she doesn't want to wait too long either. Hiei's entirely far too tempting.

"Slow?" She crossed her arms over his chest and propped her chin on her hand, and she felt Hiei's hands still against her shoulder blades.

"This is new for both of us, right? I know neither one of us is chaste, but old lovers don't mean anything. This is our first time being together, and I think we should actually be together for a little while before being _together_." She said the last word with a raised eyebrow, and she saw realization in Hiei's eyes.

"You want to wait for us to have sex to make sure that our relationship is based on more than the physical. That's acceptable." That's all he has to say? He said it so calmly, like the logic of it all made perfect sense. "I want to be with you because of how I feel when I am with you, not just because I desire you."

"You know, you being so logical about all of this makes me want to be very illogical." Hiei lightly gripped her biceps and pulled her further up his body, and she sighed as her lips covered his. They kept the kiss light because demons are plagued by morning breath too, but it felt good to just be so close to him.

"I'll go speak with Yukina. You talk to your family," Hiei said once her head was resting on his chest again. Her cheeks still felt warm, and she knew it had nothing to do with the heat coming from Hiei's body.

"Our family," she corrected.

"Our family, but we'll each speak to our blood," he conceded. She nodded at that and forced herself to crawl out of the bed. All she wanted to do was spend the entire day pressed up against Hiei, but maybe she can end her day like that? It'll give her something to look forward to.

"Oh, and, Hiei?" She had clothes gathered in her arms so that she could go take a shower, but Hiei was still stretched out on her bed. He'll probably leave after she goes to take her shower.

"Hmm?" He looks comfortable in her bed, and she likes the sight. Now if she can just get him to sleep shirtless.

"Thank you for talking to Kazuma. I'm sure it meant a lot to him, and it means a lot to me too." Hiei just made a quiet grunting noise, but she knows that her words mean something to him too. With one last smile, she slipped into the bathroom to start her shower.

Her shower didn't take long, but she knew Hiei was gone by the time she had stepped out of the tub. In the time it took her to take one shower, he'd already showered and changed into clean clothes. He's probably already at the temple by now. Before she slipped on her shirt, she looked at herself in the mirror. The skirt she's wearing is a pale yellow, but the color looks good against her tan skin. She likes wearing skirts; they cover the tattoo on her thigh and are loose enough for her to wear her dagger on her upper thigh. She always wears panties that are like tiny pairs of shorts just in case her skirt flies up on accident. Her panties and bra are both black, simple, because she's never seen the point in decorative underwear.

One hand touched against her left side, higher than the curve of her hip, and the skin still feels ragged. As if the wound has barely healed. It starts on her stomach, next to her bellybutton, and cuts around her ribs to her back. Teeth that took a chunk out of her side. Nearly ripped her ribcage apart. Above that, just under the swell of her breast, is another thick scar. This one wraps completely around her body. From high up on the left side of her torso, across the front of her body, and then starts to curve upwards from her right hip. From there the thick scar tissue traces diagonally across her back until it wraps around her ribcage to reconnect just under her breast. The center of the scar is smooth and deep, and folds of wrinkled scar tissue surrounds the deeper cut on both sides.

For years, she only wore bandages around her chest and loose pants that slipped off her hips. Both scars were on full display, and some demons feared her after seeing them. It takes a lot of energy to leave a lasting scar on a demon, especially one as strong as her, and it takes an even stronger demon to survive the amount of healing to recover from such a blow. She received both scars at the same time, and her temples throbbed as she tried to touch the memory. She shied away from the pain as her fingers continued to touch against the scars. In the Human World, she stayed covered. No one in Demon World has mentioned her now constantly covered body, and she's grateful for that. Shizuru saw the scars once, when she was about ten, and the sight of them made her daughter cry. Eiji had whispered apologies against her lips the first time he saw them, for the pain she must have suffered. She doesn't want her family now to see the ugliness in her skin.

Is it shallow of her to be afraid to show Hiei her bare skin? He's a demon, so he knows how rare it is for an S-Class to scar like this. Will he think she is weak or strong? For having these marks? Will he even be able to touch her after seeing them? Some of her other lovers had pulled away from the scars; the weaker ones feared them, and some of the others didn't like the sight of them. She didn't scar like a human would. The wounds are not pale or smooth. Even now, after all these years, they still look almost fresh. Raw and painful. She knows that she can't hide them forever, but maybe she can for a few more days.

The shirt she slipped on was a thin dark blue button-up, and she watched as more and more of the scar disappeared as she buttoned the shirt. She left the first few buttons undone, just enough to show the silver locket she fastened around her neck, and she took the time to roll the long sleeves up. It's steadily getting hotter outside, but the shirt is thin enough to keep her cool. Once the sleeves were rolled up to just below her elbows, she smoothed the shirt down over her abdomen. She could feel the raised scar tissue, but she can only feel it so clearly because she's looking for it. It's time push them to the back of her mind. For now at least.

She picked her phone up off of her bedside table and started making the bed while she listened to it ring. When Kazuma picked up, she sat down to focus all of her attention on her son.

"Hey, Ma!" Kazuma didn't sound too tired, so she didn't call him too early this time. It sounds like he's moving though.

"Good morning, Kazuma! Headed to class?" She has his schedule mostly memorized, but her mind is feeling a little off this morning.

"Yep! Are you calling about the shrimp?"

"He's taller than me," she said automatically. That probably answers his question though, going by the loud laughter coming through the phone.

"I guess the little guy moves fast. I gave him my approval, but he didn't have to ask for it. I'm happy with it as long as you're happy." There's her kind and good-hearted son. Hiei has been unkind to him over the years, even if the fire demon is trying to kind of make up for it now, so she wouldn't have blamed Kazuma if he was less than happy with the news. Her son sounds very happy though, and she'd be able to tell if the idea of her dating Hiei really bothered him.

"Thank you, Kazuma," she said quietly.

"No thanks needed, Ma! If he hurts you though, I'm kicking the runt's ass." It was her turn to laugh this time, because she listened to Raizen make similar threats over the years. Even Yusuke had said something similar the second night of the celebration.

"That sounds fair enough to me. Do you have some free time this weekend? I was thinking we could come down and visit you." She doesn't like going more than two weeks without seeing her son. Talking to him is nice, but it doesn't compare to actually seeing him.

"Only if you bring a picnic basket."

" _If you come on the next visit, we'll have a picnic in the park. Plenty of trees."_ That's what Kazuma said before Hiei left his room the night before, and this is Kazuma showing his support. If Hiei decides to come.

"A picnic sounds like a wonderful idea. I'll be sure to tell everyone." They talked for a few more minutes, but Kazuma had to hang up soon so that he wouldn't be late for class. Reigan sighed as she placed the phone back on the table and then stood up to finish making the bed. Once that was over, she moved into the dining room where she could hear everyone gathered together.

"Auntie Rei! We saved you a plate!" Yusuke yelled as soon as she walked in. They really did save her a breakfast plate, and that is a lot of food. Which is a good thing too, because she's starving. _Starving_.

" _Hiei, can you hear me? Hello?"_ She shouted the question in her mind as she walked over to her usual place at the table, and she had just sat down when Hiei's voice spoke clearly inside of her mind.

" _What do you want?"_ He sounds just as pleasant as always.

" _We need to tell the others about the supplement. You can bring Yukina here. Maybe Genkai too."_ She smiled as she took a large bite of grilled fish mixed with a piece of her omelet.

" _Be there soon."_ Reigan actually felt the connection close, could feel Hiei pull away from her mind, and she swallowed her food. It's now or never. There's no point in slowly leading up to it. Shizuru already knows how she feels about Hiei, and Botan and Yusuke already have their own guesses after the last celebration.

"Hiei and I have decided to start dating. Kazuma already knows and approves." Yusuke's mouth dropped open, Botan started clapping, and Shizuru reached over to pat her hand.

"It's about time, Mother," Shizuru said quietly.

"This is good news! We have to go buy you date clothes!" Botan squealed.

"No fair! I wanted to see Kuwabara's face when he found out!" Yusuke yelled. Botan started slapping the top of his head, and Yusuke yelped as he raised his arms to block her.

"This is a happy moment! Be mature and congratulate your aunt!" Note to self, don't get on Botan's bad side. Yusuke called out an apology, and Botan sat back in her seat with a smile. Yusuke carefully pushed his ruffled hair back down and then smiled across the table at her.

"I'm happy for you, Auntie Rei. Same goes for you, Hiei!" Yusuke called out. Reigan looked over her shoulder as Hiei came in, flanked by Yukina and Genkai, and the three of them took seats at the table. Genkai and Yukina must have already eaten, because they didn't grab a plate. Hiei, however, did.

"I am happy for you both as well, Reigan," Yukina said and smiled sweetly at her. Reigan smiled as she met the ice maiden's lighter red eyes and then nearly jumped out of her seat when she felt Hiei grab her free hand under the table.

"Thank you, Yukina."

"Opposites really do attract." Genkai was smiling at the two of them, so Reigan's going to assume that the psychic is happy for them.

"Okay, I think that's enough about that for now. Hiei and I have something else to tell you all about it." Reigan waited until everyone was looking at her seriously before explaining about the supplements. She had a feeling that the Demon Lords were working on something to make up for the banning of human spirit consumption, but she didn't know that they had already found something and was testing it. Mukuro, Yomi, and her old friends don't need to consume human spirits to become stronger anymore. They've held onto their S-Class rank for long enough, but it's not just about strength. It's about the hunger.

"Mukuro wants us to drink this stuff?" Yusuke asked. Hiei had laid the leather case on the table and opened it, and they were all staring at the bright green liquid inside. It definitely doesn't look appetizing.

"Yes, but I have a request to make." She could feel Hiei looking at the side of her face, and she briefly met his eyes before looking over at Yusuke.

"Shoot," Yusuke said when their eyes met.

"I don't want you and Hiei to take it. Neither of you have ever consumed a spirit to become stronger, demon or human. You attained your power the old-fashioned way. This supplement might help you keep that strength, but we don't know what will happen when the supplement runs out. You don't have the hunger now, but taking the supplement might give you cravings. You should avoid that if you can."

"She's right. Reigan needs the supplement because she did feed for most of her life, but you don't have to take it," Genkai said. She knew inviting the psychic over was a good idea. Yusuke and Hiei are pure, which is…rare doesn't even begin to cover it. She's pretty sure they're the only ones to ever reach the S-Class without feeding.

"What about Kurama?" Botan asked. He was the only demon in their Human World family that was missing, and Reigan looked down at the table. It's not really her place to say, is it?

"Mukuro gave him a vial a week ago when he passed through Alaric to gather ingredients for Shikaku's antidote," Hiei explained easily.

"You know that's not what she's asking," Yusuke said and looked between her and Hiei. She looked over at Hiei, but he just shrugged.

"Yoko Kurama was a strong demon, but he was only an A-Class. I don't know if he fed on spirits or not, but he's an S-Class demon now. I'm sure he's had the same thought as me, so it's up to him to decide if he wants to take the supplement or not," Reigan finally said. She had a feeling that Yoko had probably at least eaten a demon spirit or two, but she doesn't want to know. That's Kurama's personal business.

"But you're going to take it, right?" Shizuru asked her. Her daughter looked almost a little worried, which Reigan can understand. She'd been completely honest during her explanation. If she continues to go without feeding, the hunger will make her weak. She'll be able to hold onto her strength, but the hunger might drive her mad. Or just kill her.

"Yes, I'm going to take it. It's better than waiting for a fight against a demon and eating them. Not all of them taste that great." She smiled as she said it in an attempt to lighten the mood, but she only got a few quiet chuckles. It is a tense situation.

"What about you, Hiei?" Shizuru asked.

"No. I don't need it." Reigan almost slumped in relief, but Yusuke hasn't said anything yet.

"I like eating, but I get full. I'm not taking anything." Now she practically deflated as that weight was lifted from her shoulders. She doesn't like the idea of her nephew and her…Hiei depending on the supplement. If the supplement runs out or she can't get anymore, she can always go back to eating demon spirits. She doesn't want Yusuke or Hiei to have to do that.

"Then I guess I'm the only one that has to take the radioactive liquid." She pulled one of the vials out, and everyone watched as she poured some out onto a teaspoon. She waited a moment to see if the spoon was going to melt, and she took a deep breath when nothing melted. The liquid tasted…like nothing. It was like drinking water or something.

"Rei! You're glowing!" Reigan looked down at her arm and then at the rest of her body, and there is a green light around her. She's also starting to feel full. The hunger that constantly gnaws at her stomach is slacking off, and she felt more normal than she has in a long time as the glow started to fade.

"I'm not hungry." She frowned down at her plate, because she's only halfway finished with her breakfast, and the table started to laugh. Started to really laugh. Except for Hiei, who took the vial from her and returned it to the leather case.

"Are you done, Shizuru?" Her daughter wiped the corner of her eyes as she nodded, and it's good to know that she can still make her family laugh. Even if it is at her expense.

"Yeah. We going to train?" she asked. Hiei nodded, and Shizuru stood up. Presumably to go get her swords. By the time she returned, Hiei was done eating. She felt him lightly squeeze her hand before getting up, and Yusuke and Genkai were talking about a training session as well.

"Try not to get too banged up! We're going to visit Kazuma this weekend!" she called after them. She heard Yusuke and Shizuru give an acknowledgement of what she'd said, but she's still pretty sure they're going to come back all scuffed up.

"We're going to the city? We should plan a shopping trip!" Botan said excitedly.

"I do need some new fabric," Yukina said and smiled at the bubbly reaper. The ice maiden is getting really good at designing clothes and pretty much anything else that can be sewn together, and Botan darted off to her room so that she could get something to make a list with. Looks like it's just another day.

 **Four Days Later**

"Hear that?" Yusuke asked. Hiei, who was reclining back against a tree trunk, opened one eye as he looked at him. Kuwabara, who was lying on the grass just outside of the shade of the tree he and Hiei were under, looked around them.

"I don't hear anything," Kuwabara finally said. Yusuke was lying back against their picnic blanket, in the shade, and he smiled as he crossed his arms under his head.

"That is called silence. Sounds good, doesn't it?" The picnic they'd had was good, and it was easier to pack a picnic basket now because Auntie Rei wasn't eating nearly as much as she used to. Her eating habits have been cut in half since she took that first dose of the supplement, and it might be his imagination but she's looking better now too. Then again, that could be Hiei's doing.

"What's wrong, Urameshi? Livin' in a house full of women ain't as fun as you'd thought it be?" Kuwabara asked with a laugh. Botan's usually up with the sun and makes him get up too, Shizuru makes fun of him, Genkai yells at him, and Auntie Rei laughs a lot. Yukina is the quietest one, but she's pretty stern when it comes to the cooking lessons.

"Hey, you get to live by yourself! The only quiet person in my house is Hiei!" Yusuke jerked a thumb in the fire demon's direction and heard a quiet grunt in reply. He was a little surprised that Hiei came today, because he normally doesn't come with any of them to visit Kuwabara. Maybe he's making an effort for Auntie Rei?

"You actually sleep in the house?" Kuwabara asked and looked over at him.

"Sometimes. Depends on the weather."

"Oh, cut the crap, Hiei. You've been sleeping in Auntie Rei's room for the past few nights. None of us are blind." Okay, he's a little blind. Botan pointed it out to him, and Shizuru just laughed when he looked confused so he's guessing that she already knew too.

"I really don't need to hear this," Kuwabara said and closed his eyes again. Yeah, well, Yusuke hadn't needed to know either but that didn't stop Botan from giggling as she brought it up.

"We just sleep," Hiei clarified and crossed his arms. Yusuke and Kuwabara both turned to look at him, and Hiei raised a brow at them.

"Seriously?" Yusuke asked. The last thing he wants to hear about is his Auntie Rei's and Hiei's sex life, but he assumed they had one. One that he doesn't want to know about.

"We're taking it slow." Hiei looked a little confused at the words, and Kuwabara let out a loud sigh.

"That's a relief. I'm not ready to be a big brother." Hiei's eyes widened so much that Yusuke thought they were going to pop out, and Kuwabara started laughing. Loud laughs that made his whole body shake, and Yusuke quickly joined in. Hiei growled at them and looked away as he crossed his arms, but Yusuke thought he saw him smile first. Just a little.

 **.xXx.**

"Well, it sounds like you had a very eventful day," Reigan said as she changed into her pajamas. The bathroom door was cracked open, and she knew that Hiei was sitting on her bed. Her and the girls told the boys all about their shopping trip, which they had enjoyed while the boys lounged around their picnic area. Hiei just got done telling her what they talked about, because he's a very honest person. Sometimes brutally so, but she thinks that he doesn't like holding back from her.

"It was…not as annoying as I thought it would be." That's a lot coming from him.

"That's good. Shizuru, Yukina, Botan, and I had a lot of fun shopping too." She stepped out of the bathroom in her usual pajamas of a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, and Hiei was sitting on the edge of her bed. His boots were off and placed next to her desk, and he was lightly drumming his fingers against his knees. Something is still on his mind. She slowly sat down on the bed next to him and reached over to grab his hand.

"Is it something that we should worry about?" It took her a minute to catch onto what he was asking, and she laced their fingers together before dropping her head onto his shoulder.

"Currently? Definitely not. Eventually? Maybe. With my old lovers, I never once worried about it. I just knew that it wouldn't happen. Shizuru and Kazuma were not planned, not by me or Eiji at least, but I think they were meant to be here. To exist. We can take precautions though until we're ready to have children. If we ever are. Or we can take our chances. I wouldn't mind having more children someday." She could see the blush on Hiei's cheek when she tilted her head to look up at him, even though it was very faint. It's a cute look on him. She knows that the thought of being intimate doesn't make him blush, but the idea of children does? Adorable.

"I've never thought about having children," he admitted after a few more silent moments. She's not too surprised at that, considering his background.

"And you don't have to think about it now. We're still just starting out. We'll think about children much farther down the road." He turned to look at her, and his eyes look just a little darker than usual.

"Would you not want to be with me if I decided not to have children?" Reigan always assumed that she would have children at some point, but she already has kids.

"I have Shizuru and Kazuma, and I love them. If you decide not to have kids, that's okay with me," she said honestly. She really wouldn't mind having more kids in the future, but Shizuru and Kazuma are all she needs. Hiei seemed to relax a little at that, so this must have been bothering him for most of the day.

"Okay," he repeated. She can't blame him for being so worried. He's still very young, and most demons don't even think about kids until well after their first century. Some decide to have families sooner, but it's not very common.

"Stop thinking so much, Hiei, and lay down. Carrying all those bags really wiped me out." She crawled backwards across the bed and pulled Hiei with her, and they settled down like they have for the past few nights. Reigan fell asleep warm and content.

 **.xXx.**

"Is this a date?" She looked around at the gazebo, and it looks like a date scene from one of those movies that Botan likes so much. The sun is just starting to go down, but the gazebo is covered in lines of soft lights. A long bench seat circles around the gazebo, but there's a table set up in the center of the usual open space. A table set to for two, with food already on the plates and drinks poured, and she's pretty sure that's a bouquet of flowers in the center of the table. Very sure.

"Botan decorated. I paid for her to take everyone to the movies tonight." Well, that explains why the house suddenly went quiet. It's only one day short of being two weeks since their last shopping trip, and she doesn't remember Botan buying any of this. Does the reaper just have lights stashed everywhere?

"For me?" She loves Hiei exactly the way that he is, so she never expected a real date. Not one like this anyway. There's a wireless radio on the bench seat, but the music is quiet and soothing.

"You deserve a real date." She is not going to cry. Hiei did a nice thing, for her, and she's not going to get all weepy over it. If she does, he'll probably never do it again.

"I wish you would have given me some warning. I would have dressed nicer." She's in a pair of loose denim shorts and a black tank top, her feet are bare, and she can feel a few pieces of hair against her neck. The rest of it is braided, but her hair probably looks messy.

"You look fine," Hiei said as they walked up the few steps leading into the gazebo. That's her fire demon. If he suddenly started showering her with compliments and endearments, she'd probably pass out. Not that Hiei isn't sweet, because he can be, but he does it in his own way.

"I guess we kind of match, huh? A little bit of a reversal though," she said with a small smile. His shirt is light blue, also sleeveless, and he's wearing his usual pair of black pants. So they look like they do during any other day, and that makes this somehow a little more special. Hiei doesn't need her to dress up or change anything about herself to enjoy her company, and it's good to know that she's appreciated without having to doll herself up.

"Why are you smiling like that?" The food smells delicious, and they have equal portions. She doesn't have to eat twice, or three times, the amount of everyone else now. They're going to save a fortune on groceries.

"Because you like me no matter how I look." She had to stop smiling as she ate, and Hiei tilted his head to the side as he looked at her.

"Maybe not so much if you shaved your head." Her laugh flew out of her, and she even saw Hiei laughing a little as tears filled her eyes. Not because she was overjoyed. She was just laughing too hard. She pressed the tips of her fingers against her eyes as her laughter died down, and she reached down to tug on the end of her braid. It's longer than it's been in centuries.

"How about a trim? I love Raizen, but I've never been a fan of having hair down to my knees. Makes it too easy for an enemy to grab." Her and Raizen had similar hair for a time; she remembers the way her loose hair tickled against the back of her calves. She cut if after a demon with very long arms twisted her hair around one of his skinny arms and tossed her repeatedly into a wall.

"Agreed. How short?" He was looking at her braid, which disappears under the table. Her hair is to the small of her back now, because her hair has always grown faster than a human's. She's noticed that Yusuke has to cut his pretty often too to keep it from getting shaggy.

"Hmm, I like keeping it long enough to braid. It keeps it out of my way, but I can still braid it if it's about this long." She held her hand up just above her shoulders, because she can still braid her hair at that length. It's a little difficult, but it'll keep her from having to cut her hair for at least a year.

"We can cut it later, if you like." She raised her brow at him, and he propped his elbow on the table as he pointed a fork at her. "You complain about pulling on it in your sleep, every time one of us lays on it."

"Oops." It does hurt when it gets pulled on too much though, and it's hard to keep track of it all once it gets this long.

"Later?" She realized that she was running her fingers over the long plait, and she snapped out of her thoughts to smile across the table at Hiei.

"Can you cut it? I always get it uneven when I try." Raizen used to cut her hair for her, then Shikaku, and finally her priestesses. Even Genkai has cut her hair off for her. Hiei nodded, and Reigan turned back to her food. They kept the conversation light, normal, and Reigan was thankful for that. She doesn't want them to pretend to be something they're not, which is what she has always considered dates to be. Two people pretending to be something they're not to impress the other, but her and Hiei don't have to do that. They already know each other.

"I don't understand the point of this," Hiei said once they were finished eating. They talked about his training with Shizuru, Yusuke's improvement under Genkai's training, and the project she was helping Botan and Yukina with. They were designing an outfit for everyone for Christmas; it was Reigan's job to draw the designs and dimensions.

"Well, humans normally use a date as a way to get to know each other. We already know each other, so I guess this is just a chance for us to get some time alone," she explained. They still have moments alone together, during the day and at night before going to sleep, but this has been nice. She loves having her family around, but she's enjoyed spending tonight with just Hiei.

"Botan said it was supposed to be romantic." Reigan laughed quietly as they started to clean up, but Reigan decided to leave the lights where they were. They can take them down tomorrow.

"I'm sure Botan and I have very different ideas on what qualifies as romance. The reaper is clearly a traditionalist, but I'm more…simple. I just like spending time with you, Hiei. I don't care what we do." Both of their arms are full of dishes, so she leaned to the side enough to bump her arm against his.

"We don't have to go on dates?" The dishes were placed in the sink, to be washed tomorrow, and Reigan laced her fingers through Hiei's as they walked towards the stairs.

"No. We just have to spend time together."

"We're not about the flowers and fluffy feelings." She remembers angrily saying that to him when he took her to the Demon World to stabilize her energy, and she meant it then. She still means it, to an extent.

"Maybe a few fluffy feelings," she said and pulled him into her bathroom. She let go of his hand so that she could work on unbraiding her hair, and Hiei sat down on the counter to watch her.

"I think that I love you." Her fingers froze, just for a moment, and then she resumed untwisting her hair. She knows that Hiei cares for her, but he's never used that particular word before. What exactly did Mukuro say to him? Doesn't matter. She owes her fellow female Mazoku for this.

"That's good, because I think that I'm in love with you." She wrapped a towel around her shoulders before sitting on the edge of the tub, and she flicked the shower on. The shower was cold to start with, so she waited until it had heated up before sticking her head under the falling water. It didn't take long for her to get her hair wet, and she gently squeezed the excess water out of her long hair so that it was damp instead of dripping.

"In love?" Hiei asked as she stood next to him.

"Are you really that surprised? You already know that I love you. Falling in love with you isn't that much of a stretch," she said as she looked through one of the drawers under the sink. Aha! She pulled out a pair of scissors and handed them to Hiei, and then she reached over to grab her brush. Hiei grabbed her wrist, and she looked at him with wide eyes as he took the brush from her. The scissors were on the counter next to him, and he turned her around so that he could start brushing her hair.

"You said you'd tell me when you were in love with me. You haven't said anything." He was gentle as he brushed her hair, and she raised up on her tiptoes so that he could reach all the way to the end.

"I said I think I am. It feels like love. Something deeper than platonic love. When I see you, everything feels better. I feel better. I miss you when I can't see you. I could listen to you talk all day, and I shiver when you touch me." As if to test her words, Hiei drew a finger from the top of her shoulder and down to her elbow. Her body stayed still, but her skin prickled with goosebumps and felt warm.

"Is that what being in love feels like?" The tangles were gone now, and Reigan held still as Hiei picked up the scissors. The towel was under her now to catch the falling hair, and she reached back so that her hands were braced against Hiei's knees.

"Being in love is hard to explain. I don't really know how to explain it. Love is something that is out of our control; it's something that everyone feels differently, on their own. I love you because just being around you makes me happy. I don't need anything else, just you." She could hear the scissors each time the blades came together, and another long chunk of hair would fall to the ground. When Hiei was done, he carefully brushed her hair again and then snipped away the few pieces that he must have missed. Reigan closed her eyes as she was turned around to face him, and she felt his hands move from her shoulders up to cup her face.

"You make me feel. Annoyed when you let Yusuke goad you into a shouting match, content when we lie down at night, angry when fools like the ones at the park look at you…happy when you reach for me." She listened to each word with her eyes tightly closed, and her chest is burning because she's scared to take a breath. She can accept that Hiei will probably need more time before falling in love with her; they've only officially been together for a little over two weeks.

"I don't need to hear it," she whispered. She doesn't need to hear that he doesn't love her; she can accept it, but she's not sure if she can handle hearing it.

"Open your eyes, Reigan." Against her own will, her eyes opened. Her hands are still on Hiei's knees, or back on them, and his hands are hot and a little rough against her cheeks. His eyes are so beautiful, just as beautiful as the first time she saw them. Maybe even more so, because his eyes are open to her and she doesn't see any anger. Just…warmth.

"Don't say it unless you feel it." If he says it just for her benefit, she won't be able to forgive him. Not with this.

"I never say anything that I don't mean." That's true. Hiei's an honest person. Always has been. He won't lie to her. He won't. "I love you."

Her legs strained as she pushed herself up, and she felt Hiei smile as their lips met. He pushed himself off the counter and slid along her body until he was standing in front of her, and she moved her arms up to wrap them around his neck. His hands reached down to grab her thighs so that he could lift her up, and she whined quietly as her legs wrapped around his waist. She knew he was walking them into the bedroom, but she couldn't pull away from him. All they've done for the past two weeks is kiss, usually chastely, and she wants to taste him. The tips of her fangs nipped at his bottom lip, and she sighed happily as she dipped her tongue inside his mouth. So much _heat_.

Something crashed to the floor after her back pushed against it, but she didn't care at the moment. She didn't care about anything except for the way that Hiei was gripping her thighs and pushing her up against the wall. Oh. Must have been a weapon that fell. She really doesn't care. Hiei growled as he pressed tighter against her and slanted his lips across hers, so that he could taste her too. Heat pooled low in her stomach, and her back arched away from the wall as her body started to respond to Hiei's heat against her.

"Wait, where are you going?" Her voice sounded strained to her ears as Hiei pulled away from her, and her feet touched against the ground. His body was still pinning hers to the wall, but she wasn't ready to stop yet.

"Nowhere." The smirk he gave her looked a little evil, but in a way that made her thighs shake. In one smooth move, he dropped to his knees in front of her and reached for the button on her shorts. It took her a mind a second to catch up but then she reached down to help him. Once her shorts were unbuttoned and unzipped, they both hooked their fingers under the waistband of her shorts and panties.

Being so exposed normally made her shy away, at least until she got used to being with her lover, but her body arched under Hiei's eyes. She doesn't have to hide from Hiei. Rough hands moved from her ankles to the backs of her knees, and her legs parted a little more as Hiei slid his hands up her thighs. She wasn't sure what to expect next, and she cried out as his fingers gently touched against her. It's been so long since anyone has touched her this way, and Hiei braced one arm against her hips to hold her up as he carefully started learning how to touch her. She knows he's been with others, just like she has, but this is their first time together. By the time he leaned forward to taste her, her whole body was shaking and starting to sweat.

"Hiei, we can do the slow stuff later, okay? Slow as you want, but I need more right now." She almost fell when Hiei stood up, but he never moved too far away from her. Her fingers clawed against him as she tore his shirt off, and they both worked on removing his holsters. Once the daggers were on the floor, he started toeing off his boots while she pulled on his belts. Why does he wear so many belts?

"Are you sure?" His pants are barely hanging on, she's actually naked from the waist down, and he's asking her now if she's sure? Now would be a good stopping point, logically. They can still take it slow.

"I'm sure," she said and pulled him back to her. She pushed his pants down so that he could kick them off, and she moaned as she realized he hadn't been wearing anything under his pants. She's saving that information. His hands moved to the bottom of her shirt as his lips moved to her neck, and she forced her eyes to stay open as he pulled the tank top off. The top had a bra built-in, so she was now completely exposed to him. Bare.

Her eyes watched his face as he looked at her, and she waited to see his reaction to her scars. Some lovers hadn't been able to hide their initial reactions, which sometimes included something close to revulsion. If Hiei looks at her like that, her current mood will be completely lost. Her nerves are already chasing away that euphoric feeling. His hand reached up to cover the large bite on her left ribcage, and his touch was firm. His other hand traced from her right hip and across her stomach, and she sucked in a breath as his thumb grazed the underside of her breast. He wasn't looking at her like she was disgusting, or in pity. Respect. Pride. Desire.

Arms wrapped around her waist and drew her close again, and her feet lifted off the ground as Hiei walked backwards. They fell onto the bed, and Reigan raised up on her knees with her hands pressed against Hiei's chest. All of those hours of training have kept his body lean and hard, and her fingertips pressed against the ridges of muscle. Hiei arched up against her touch without ever looking away from her body, from every part of her body, and she ducked back down to kiss him. His hands moved across her back and down to her hips, and she licked into his mouth as he raised her hips and gently pulled her back down. She could feel him against her, sliding against her, but he's waiting for her to make the last move.

Her cheek slid along his shoulder as she shifted her hips back, and the grip on her hips was hard enough to bruise as she moved against him. She's missed this feeling, being this connected to someone else. It's even better because she knows that Hiei loves her, and she bit down on his shoulder as her center pushed up against him. Hiei rolled her under him when her thighs started to shake, and she cried out as her body shook under him. Instead of slowing down, Hiei pushed harder against her. Her hands reached up to grab his hair, and Hiei's hands moved down to grab her thighs. To hold her tighter against him. Reigan's whole body flashed with heat before going still, and she wrapped her arms around Hiei as he shook against her.

"Okay?" he asked a few minutes later. He'd rolled them back over so that she was sprawled across his torso, and she lazily lifted her cheek off of his chest.

"Absolutely amazing." Her body feels tired in the best kind of way, but she could live without all of the sweat. And other stickiness. "But I think we could both use a shower. Together this time?"

She laughed as Hiei stood up with her still plastered against him and walked them to the bathroom, and she made a mental note to thank their resident reaper in the morning.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** Whew! Believe it or not, but this chapter was incredibly difficult to write. I actually completely scrapped the first draft and redid it from scratch. I feel better about this one.

So! I was thinking I could use a little help from my readers. There's going to be another Christmas chapter soon (possibly around Christmas), and it's going to take place in Demon World. Is there anything that you want to see? I'd be happy to take suggestions!

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** I'm so glad you liked the Hiei-Kuwabara scene! It was so nerve-wracking to write, so I'm happy I didn't mess it up too bad. Thank you for the review!

 **Aelthya:** Yay for feeling better! And if reading/commenting stories helps you cover from dangerously high fevers, then I'm happy to help! Haha, the chapter title was a bit alarming, but I couldn't help myself. I am really glad (and relieved) that you liked the Hiei-Kuwabara scene! I couldn't have them be all buddy-buddy, because that's nowhere near realistic. I also didn't want them to completely hate each other, so finding a middle ground was difficult. Also, I feel like Kuwabara would be the more mature one. When he first met Hiei, he was a young teenager. A brash, sometimes angry, young teenager who was constantly in danger whenever Hiei happened to be around. Now, he's older and a little more mellow because people aren't constantly trying to kill him or his friends. So, maturity. I have Kuwabara's future figured out, but he is going to really dig deep in future chapters when deciding how his future is going to go. It's gonna be so much fun! For me. I'm not sure how readers will handle it. I'll always love LWIYF. It's one of my biggest stories, ever, and I got so much support while writing it. I wrote that story on a whim while I was stuck on campus waiting for a ride, and it spiraled out of control. That being said, I like to think that I've grown since then, as a person and as a writer, so this story should be different. But I am glad that you've enjoyed reading both of them. And thank you so much for the review! (PS: I promise that I haven't forgotten about your story. I will read it and review it as soon as I can.)

 **Firestorm1991:** Yeah, the scenes that get away from you are the best ones. Even if the whole story has to reworked afterwards. Haha, I know Yusuke and Botan aren't your OTP, but I kinda can't write your OTP since this is a Hiei/OC story. Maybe next time? Hiei is growing up, they all are, so I'm having fun writing them as they mature. (They'll always have their childish moments though, because no one can be serious all the time. That would be boring.) Thank you for the review! (PS: I have seen your updates, and I promise to read and review as soon as I can. And reply to our message.)

 **mchurch1992:** I'm sorry you woke up the little one! But I am glad that you loved the last chapter. Thank you for review!

 **Nevermorea:** Thank you! I'm glad you liked the Hiei-Kuwabara scene. Definitely one of the most challenging scenes I've ever written. And thank you for the review!

 **shirohara:** Life gets busy, which is something that I completely understand. I'm just happy to see that you're still reading and enjoying the story. The Shizuru and Yomi thing wasn't planned at all; it just kind of happened in the moment, but I think their personalities go well together. Thank you for the review! (Your review was actually the 100th review, so you get an extra big THANK YOU!)


	20. Now Let's Talk Strategy

**Author's Note:** It's been a while since my last update, and I am sorry about that. (One month is better than one year though, right?) Real life gets in the way sometimes, but I haven't given up on this story! Far from it. I've got plans for my plans, so this story is far from over.

I'm working on the next chapter now, and I'm going to do my best to update again on Christmas Day since it's going to be the Christmas chapter. So be on the lookout for a new update!

 **Post Date:** 22 December 2016

 **Word Count:** 5380

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty  
** **Now Let's Talk Strategy**

Hiei woke up when the sunlight reached the bed, and he turned his face away from the bright light. Hair immediately covered his face, and he reached up to push it away. Reigan sighed and wiggled against him, and he remembered that neither one of them put on clothes before falling asleep. They did shower but then they just curled up in the bed and fell asleep. All he can feel is Reigan's bare skin pressed along his side, because he's lying on his back with her curled up against him. His hand moved from her hip and over her back, and he felt the thick scar tissue that wrapped around her body. She really is stronger than others give her credit for; any other demon would have died from the wounds, but she's still here.

"I know you're awake." Her fingers are tracing patterns across his stomach, and he can feel her eyes on him. Almost like she's touching him.

"Nope. Still dreaming," she whispered. He easily flipped around and opened his eyes once her body was stretched out under his. Her smile was soft as she reached up to run her hands across his shoulders, and he dipped down to taste a line across the side of her throat. His hand lightly touched against the inside of her thigh before moving higher, and he nipped the curve of her collarbone when he felt her already prepared for him.

"Good dream?" His fingers pulled a moan out of her, and the sharp points of her nails dug into his shoulders as her legs pulled him closer. Closer and closer until there was no space between them.

"Hopefully visions of the future." Her eyes seemed to shine up at him as he pulled one of her legs over his shoulder, so that her thigh was pressed flush against his chest, and he watched the way her body rolled against the sheets. The talking stopped as their bodies started moving, and Hiei decided that this was his new favorite way to start the day.

 **.xXx.**

"Are they coming or what?" Botan jumped at the sound of Yusuke's loud voice, and her hand reached up to cover her throat. She knows she's blushing. She can feel the heat in her cheeks and spreading down her neck; the top of her chest is probably flushed red by now!

"What?!" Her voice was a squeak, and Yusuke and Shizuru looked up from the table at her curiously.

"Auntie Rei and Hiei? Did you tell them breakfast was ready?" Right! Of course that's what he meant! It's not like he knew…there's nothing to know. Yusuke doesn't know anything, because she doesn't know anything. Nope. Not a thing.

"They'll be down soon," she said and sat down in her usual chair. She should not have opened the bedroom door. She should have knocked louder. She should have never volunteered to go tell them breakfast was ready. Oh, but then Yusuke or Shizuru would have gone upstairs instead! If this is awkward for her, it'd be doubly awkward for one of them!

"Botan?" She looked over at Shizuru, and the other woman was looking at her with a knowing look. Which isn't possible, because there's nothing to know. Absolutely nothing. Except that apparently Hiei and Reigan are quite flexible. No! She does not know that!

"What's so funny?!" Shizuru was laughing with her head thrown back as Yusuke pointed at her, and Botan hid her face in her hands. This is so embarrassing! She can't tell Yusuke! And how does Shizuru know anyway?

"Trust me, little cousin, you don't want to know," Shizuru finally said. Yusuke looked back and forth between them, and it took a moment but Botan saw when everything finally clicked. He yelped and dropped his fork, which made Shizuru start laughing again.

"You saw them?!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Maybe we should invest in some locks." Botan stiffened, because that's Reigan's voice. She slowly looked over her shoulder, and dark blue eyes met hers. Reigan doesn't look mad. She looks very relaxed actually. That makes sense, considering…what Botan definitely did not see.

"That was quick." Yusuke was grinning when Botan snapped her head over to look at him, and has he officially lost his mind?!

"We've been up since sunrise," Hiei said as he sat down. Yusuke's face filled with horror while Reigan and Shizuru laughed, and Botan's mouth dropped open. They looked like they were…um, finishing, so how long did they…or was it multiple? No! She doesn't want to know! Sunrise was about three hours ago though. That's a really long time to…exercise.

"I think Botan is going to pass out," Shizuru said and glanced over at her. Her face does feel really hot, and she can't remember ever feeling this embarrassed.

"I didn't see anything!" They'd been on the far side of the bed, on the floor, so she'd really only seen Hiei's hair and one of Reigan's feet. That's her story, and she's sticking to it! Reigan reached over to lightly pat her on the shoulder, and she smells like soap. They must have showered before coming down, so they really must have been, uh, finishing up.

"We'll buy big locks the next time we go shopping," Reigan promised. Locks would be good. Most of the people in the house can kick down a door in an emergency, so locks sound like a wonderful idea.

"So, Hiei, does this mean you're finally going to mellow out some?" Botan facepalmed as Reigan kicked Yusuke under the table, and they'll all be lucky if Hiei doesn't set the house on fire. Although, the fire demon does look a little more relaxed than usual.

"No." Well, at least nothing is on fire.

 **.xXx.**

"You haven't asked about them." Her sleeping shirt is rucked up her stomach and stops just under her breasts, and Hiei's fingers are gently moving across the part of the scar that cuts across her stomach. The center is smooth while the surrounding parts are rougher, and he keeps switching between the different textures.

"I'm waiting on you to tell me about them."

Today was…normal. The morning was a bit different than she's used to, but she's definitely got no complaints. Botan walking in on them had been unfortunate, but Reigan knows that the reaper didn't see anything too inappropriate. Seeing her blush scarlet at breakfast had been worth nearly being fully exposed to the woman. Yusuke and Shizuru had mostly just laughed and teased, and they went about their normal routines afterwards. Reigan finished her day with Botan and Yukina earlier, so she had already changed and gotten into bed when Hiei joined her. Since he spent the day training with Shizuru, he took a shower first and then slipped into her bed in just a pair of loose pants.

"What if I told you that I can't?" Thinking about them hurts. Sends little shocks through her brain.

"Can't or won't?" Their heads are lying on the same pillow, and their legs are all tangled together. She's so comfortable that she's surprised she's not already asleep, but the scars have been bothering her all day. Literally. They've ached more today than they have in a long while.

"Can't. I can tell you that it happened a long time ago and nearly killed me, but that's all that I can literally say." If she even tried to say another word, her whole body would go on lockdown. She can't even _think_ about what happened to her, much less say it. She tried once and spent the next fourteen hours in a paralyzed state.

"Happened at the same time?" Her body twitched as her mind screamed a warning at her, and she nodded her head. Just once. "Should I be worried?"

"Not now." Hiei was looking directly into her eyes as he touched against the bite mark, the very large bite mark, and she silently begged for him to trust her on this.

"Will you tell me one day?" One day…she can tell him one day. She'll hate spilling the tale, but she'll have to.

"I will." His hand moved away from her stomach and up to lightly hold her chin, and he held her still as he leaned forward to kiss her. It didn't last long, she could tell that he was tired, and she ducked down to nuzzle against his chest when she pulled away. Tonight they have each other, and that's enough.

 **August 1997**

"Yusuke, get down from there!" Botan yelled.

"Not until he fights me!" Yusuke yelled back down.

"You have to reach me first!" Hiei yelled from even higher up.

"Just let 'em go, Botan. It's some kind of manly code of honor that we will never understand," Reigan said as she stepped up beside the reaper. She didn't come outside to stop the fight; she was quite curious to see how it turned out.

"They're fighting because Hiei ate Yusuke's ice cream," Botan pointed out. Reigan warned Hiei last night, during their slightly later than midnight snack, that Yusuke was going to get fighting mad when he noticed his ice cream missing. In hindsight, that might have been the deciding factor for Hiei to eat it. She'll have to think that through some more next time.

"One male has stolen sustenance from another, so now they must fight. He's at the tree to your right, Yusuke!" Reigan cupped her hands around her mouth to yell up at her nephew, and she heard him laugh as he jumped to the next tree.

"No cheating!" Hiei yelled down at her. She's not cheating. Merely helping.

"You don't think we should stop them?" Botan asked. Reigan really likes the reaper. She's like a breath of fresh air; so bubbly and free spirited, and Reigan has noticed how much Botan looks after Yusuke.

"Yusuke and Hiei have fought tougher opponents than trees," Reigan said as they continued to watch the branches above them shake.

"I'm more worried about the trees than them," Kazuma said as he joined them. He was eating his own ice cream, which had been left untouched, and Shizuru joined them a moment later. The trees were shuttering under the fight, and a few leaves fell down on them as they watched.

"Why is my apprentice fighting in a tree?" Reigan looked over at Genkai, but the psychic was looking up into the trees. Reigan could just make out Hiei and Yusuke as they fought, because they're both concealing their energy as they jump around.

"For honor," Kazuma said and held up his ice cream in a salute. Then he quickly brought it back down and resumed eating.

"Has Yusuke said something offensive again?" They all turned to greet Kurama as he joined them, and Reigan realized that Yukina was standing with him.

"It was Hiei this time. He ate Yusuke's ice cream." Yusuke never would have known who'd taken his snack if Hiei hadn't told him, so Hiei's getting what he deserves as far as she's concerned. He's probably getting exactly what he wants.

"Do you think they'll be done soon? I'm afraid I didn't just come for a visit." Reigan nearly jumped back as Hiei landed in front of her, and Yusuke dropped down next to him a moment later. Well, that was quick. She didn't even have to threaten either of them.

"Please tell me it's not bad news," Yusuke said and plucked a leaf out of his hair.

"I'm not sure. Yomi called and said that our presence has been requested at King Enki's palace." They're usually not so formal when it comes to the rulers of Demon World, so it must be something big if they're using Enki's title. Enki isn't asking them to come, the King is.

"Who is our?" Yusuke asked.

"Just the S-Class demons. Shizuru and Kuwabara are invited as well," Kurama said and smiled over at her children. Just the strongest among them, which is all of them. Kazuma and Shizuru have spirit energy that is equivalent to that of an S-Class demon, but so does Genkai. So why her children? Botan and Yukina are below the S-Class, and they're also non-fighters. Has something happened?

"Probably shouldn't keep them waiting," Kazuma said and led the way inside the house. If this is going to be an important meeting that leads to a war or something, she wants to wear something a little more combat appropriate than a sundress. Hiei followed her into her room, because it kind of is his room now. His clothes and weapons have mixed with hers, gradually, and he sleeps in her bed every night.

"Can you see anything?" Hiei asked her once the door was closed. Neither one of them bothered locking it, because it won't take them long to change.

"Nothing. I like to think my sight would warn me if there was a war going on or if someone is after us, but that doesn't mean it will." The dress easily slipped over her head, and she quickly pulled on a pair of black tights. She'll be able to move easier in them. The shirt she pulled on was loose and a dark blue, and it left her arms completely bare. She strapped her dagger to her thigh and slipped a belt around her waist so that she could carry her naginata. Better safe than sorry.

"Mukuro didn't mention anything the last time I was there." That was only about a week ago, so nothing too big could have happened in that amount of time. At least, she hopes not. Hiei was already mostly dressed, in a pair of the black denim pants that she bought and a sleeveless dark red shirt, and she watched as he put on his weapons. Daggers went into the holsters strapped to his thighs, and he picked up her Greek broadsword with a hopeful look. She earned that sword after a fight to the death with a rock demon, and she's very proud of it.

"Go ahead," she said and tried not to smile. A strap went diagonally across his chest as he secured it to his back, and she could just make out the dull gold handle over his shoulder. With that done, they walked back downstairs and into the den. Kurama was the only one waiting so far, and he turned to smile at them.

"Botan went with Yukina and Genkai back to the temple," he explained. Hiei nodded at that but didn't say anything, and she reached over to lace their fingers together.

"How's the antidote coming?" she asked.

"It will be ready any day now. Should I give it to you when it's done?" Shikaku did say that she'd need it when they met again, so that makes the most sense.

 _Kurama should keep it. Keep it safe. Keep it hidden._

"You get that?" she asked when her eyesight cleared. She likes closing her eyes when her sight kicks in; watching the world suddenly go dark as whispers fill her mind is never a pleasant experience. Sometimes she speaks out loud, and she's thinking that she did going by the look on Kurama's face. He's looking at her like she's a science experiment again.

"Yes, I did. I'll keep it on me at all times." That works for her.

"Yo, Auntie Rei! You're gonna fly us there, right?" Yusuke asked. He and Kazuma came in together, and Shizuru walked in right behind them. They're all here.

"It's the quickest way, and it's rude to keep a king waiting."

Once they were outside, she pulled the feather out of her arm and hopped up onto it. Everyone else quickly joined her, and they talked quietly as they flew across Demon World. Kazuma and Kurama talked about their classes, Shizuru talked a little about the book she was currently working on, and Yusuke talked about the new section of the cookbook that he and Yukina were on. Reigan sat at the front of the feather so that she could direct them, and Hiei sat behind her. She could feel the broadsword's scabbard pressing into her spine, but she likes having him close. He only said a few words as they traveled, and they reached Enki's palace a little over an hour later. She got here even quicker than usual.

"Rei! Took ya long enough!" Souketsu yelled as she flew down to the front door. Jin was floating in the air next to him, and the wind demon smiled as they all jumped to the ground. Jin always gets a kick out of her feather; he told her once that he liked the wind that the feather made because it smelled sweet. He'd also been very drunk at the time.

"Have we missed the good stuff?" Yusuke asked. The feather was back in her arm, and she quickly traced her fingers over her inner arm.

"Waitin' on ya to get started!" Jin said as he started towards the palace. They all followed after him, on the ground, and up into one of the larger meeting rooms.

"This isn't another party, is it?" Everyone in the room turned around at Yusuke's question, and Reigan did a quick headcount of who was gathered. Enki, Kokou, Mukuro, Yomi, Hokushin, Souketsu, Natsume, Kujou, Shura, Jin, Touya, Chu, Rinku, Shishiwakamaru, Suzuka, Kirin, Shu, Saizou, Tetsuzan, and Den-Hou. Then there's Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Kazuma, Shizuru, and her. They're all of the beings with demon blood in the S-Class.

"I'm afraid not. Please sit, friends," Enki said and spread his arms. There was a large round table in the room, and everyone slowly sat down. Reigan wound up between Hiei and Kazuma, with Yusuke on Hiei's other side and Shizuru sitting next to Kazuma. After everyone was sitting, Enki looked around at all of them.

"Just spit it out!" Souketsu yelled when the silence stretched on for too long. Enki sighed and placed both elbows on the table, and Kokou isn't drinking. This must be serious if Kokou is sober.

"King Enma and I have come to an agreement about the next Demon World Tournament." Enki paused and looked right at Yusuke, and Reigan saw her nephew fidget a little in his seat. "You had a good idea, Yusuke, but we have discovered that it is not practical. Enma worries that the wrong demon will win the tournament and disturb the peace that we have managed to create."

"And the solution to this?" Kurama asked. Reigan was afraid something like this would happen. Holding a tournament every three years was dangerous, especially considering the average demon lifespan. Even the Dark Tournament only came around once every fifty years.

"One last tournament that is open to every demon, but it will be mandatory for those in the S-Class. Whoever wins the tournament will face me after they've recovered, and whoever wins that match will rule indefinitely," Enki answered. Mandatory?

"Why is it mandatory for us?" she asked. She never planned on entering the tournament, and what about her children? They're technically only humans while they have the seals on them.

"To ensure that the strongest wins, so that no one can say that the tournament was unjust. Your children, however, are exempt if they still have the seals when the tournament begins." Reigan glanced over at them, because neither of them has brought up the seals since she was first released. They both nodded in understanding but didn't say anything.

"What if we say no?" Shura asked. Yomi's son has grown faster than the average demon, so that he looks like a young teenager now even though he was born five years ago.

"I can't force you to say yes, but any of the S-Class that refuse to compete will be detained until the fights are over. I know some of you don't want to fight, but I am asking you to. We cannot take the chance of someone taking over Demon World that we do not know or trust."

"If none of us compete, then you will only have to face a member of the A-Class," Hokushin said. He has a point. An A-Class wouldn't stand a chance against Enki.

"King Enma and I have been keeping track of the lower classes, and we believe that it is possible that there are others that have reached the S-Class and have been able to hide their energy. Those of us here are the only known S-Class demons." It's hard to hide that kind of power, but it's not impossible. Even if a demon can't do it naturally, there are other ways to hide energy. She would know. They have to fight.

"Then we will fight," Mukuro stated.

"Why do we have to fight you? Kokou won the last tournament," Souketsu pointed out. It's a good point. Enki might do all of the actual ruling, but Kokou technically won.

"Because I'm six weeks pregnant. The tournament's being pushed back to April, but I won't be in any shape to fight. Enma already gave us the okay, unless one of you wants to object?" Oh, so that's why she's sober. Huh. Kokou and Enki as parents. Interesting.

"Congrat—"

"I will rip out your tongue!" Yusuke sat back in his chair at Kokou's yell, and Reigan raised a brow at the Queen.

"I believe we are all in agreement about the terms," Yomi said to break the silence. Everyone quietly consented, and the meeting came to an end. Everyone started to mix and talk about the tournament, which was a little over eight months away. Hiei was talking to Yusuke and Mukuro, Kazuma and Kurama were talking to Natsume, and Shizuru was talking to Yomi. Kokou caught her eye, and Reigan watched as the Queen flicked her eyes over at the doorway.

"You asked for me?" They're standing outside of the meeting room now, alone, and Reigan held still as Kokou paced. Her and Kokou are more civil towards each other now, but there's a lot of bad blood between them. So she's a little surprised that the woman wants to talk to her alone.

"You're the only person I know with a kid. Two of 'em! How the hell am I supposed to do this, Rei?" She didn't point out that Yomi has a son, because Kokou dislikes Yomi even more than her. Yomi also didn't have Shura the traditional way.

"It's not that difficult, Kokou. The actual birth part hurts like hell, but it's worth it in the end. I'm guessing this wasn't planned?"

"Of course it wasn't!" Yeah, that's what she thought. Kokou's shoulders slumped after that, and she pressed her back against the wall so she that she could slide down it. Reigan waited a moment before walking over to her, and she slowly sat down next to her.

"I almost didn't have Kazuma," she quietly admitted. She could feel Kokou's golden eyes on her, so she turned to meet her gaze.

"Why?"

"Because my lover had just died, my daughter was only seventeen, and I was about to be sealed away for an unknown amount of time. It seemed…selfish to keep him. No one even knew I was pregnant, so I could have carried the burden of knowing what I'd done alone. I kept him."

"Why?" She's never heard Kokou like this. Definitely not with her. The lion demon sounds lost and a little vulnerable, and Reigan smiled a little sadly.

"Having Shizuru…feeling her grow inside of me, holding her in my arms for the first time, and watching her grow up? Nothing compares to that feeling. My children are the best part of me, the best part of my lover. It's an unconditional love."

"I've already decided to keep it. Enki's over the moon, but I…what if I mess up?"

"You did alright with Natsume and Kujou."

"Those kids had a palace full of babysitters."

"So will you. You don't have to do this alone." They have friends, many friends, that will support her. Help her. It might go against Kokou's independent nature, but she'll get over that when the need for sleep overtakes her senses. (Reigan had actually begged Genkai to watch Shizuru while she napped in a tree.)

"You gonna babysit my kid, Rei?" Kokou laughed after asking it, but Reigan really thought it over. Enki was her first real friend, the first person that she could trust that wasn't her brother, and Kokou…Kokou could be a friend.

"Sure. Babies are easy. It's the teen years that are scary." Shizuru had been a relatively well-behaved teen, but all teenagers have a tendency to yell at their parents at least a little. It's all the hormones.

"I'm gonna be a mother," Kokou groaned and fell over. Reigan froze as Kokou's head dropped onto her shoulder, and some lime green hair brushed against her cheek. Reigan reached over to lightly rub the other woman's back and tried to think of what to say.

"If you've decided to keep the baby, you're already a mother," she said quietly. That's how Reigan had felt.

"Will you help me? Be there when it's born?" Kokou wants her in the room?

"You do realize that's an honor, right? You only ask your close loved ones into the birthing room." Okay, her speech might be showing her age, but it's true. You don't let just anyone into the room when you're in labor.

"It's not like I'm gonna invite Souketsu in. You at least will know what's going on." That sounds logical enough, but Reigan's still a little scared. Having a child was one thing, but watching someone else's child be born? Terrifying.

"If you're still sure in a few months, I'll be there."

"Good, because you owe me."

 **.xXx.**

"What's that look for?" They're flying back towards the house, will probably arrive in about ten minutes, and she's been lost in her head ever since they left. They stayed for a few hours to talk to everyone, but they decided not to stay for an extended amount of time. They did promise Enki that they would celebrate Christmas at the palace though. That's going to be fun.

"I've just been thinking, it's been a really long time since I was in a fight. A real one, anyway. I might have to train some before the tournament." She trained with the priestesses some and kept demons away from Raizen's bloodline, but she hasn't really fought in centuries.

"With who?" Hiei asked her. They're the only ones at the front of the feather, as usual, and she can hear the others behind them.

"Hokushin would be best. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses, so it makes us have to improvise. Not until after Christmas though. I'm not giving up time with my family because of the tournament." She needs to train if she's going to fight, but she's fought in wars before. Fought in battles that lasted for weeks. She'll be okay.

"I should start training with Mukuro again." They've all been so peaceful lately that she imagines most of them will need to dust off their fighting abilities.

"We'll worry about it all later, right?" She looked over her shoulder to meet his eyes, and he nodded at her. Good. For now, she's going to enjoy being with her family.

 **.xXx.**

"Should I be worried about those looks?" Kazuma and Shizuru were standing in front of the couch that she was sitting on, and both of her children had very serious expressions. Looks like that rarely mean anything good.

"We wanna talk about our seals," Kazuma said. She's been worried about this since that meeting at Enki's nine days ago. Yeah, she's been counting, because she knew this conversation was coming.

"Have a seat then." They sat down on either side of her, and she reached over to grab their hands. No matter what they've decided, she'll support it.

"Ease up, Mother. It's nothing to worry about," Shizuru said quietly. She released some of the tension in her fingers and took a slow breath. Kazuma cleared his throat, so she looked over at him first.

"I was getting ready to cut myself off from everyone. Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, Yukina…I thought it would be better if we lost touch, because I was human. I was getting older, and they were going to live for a lot longer than me. I didn't want them to watch me grow old and die, and I didn't want to see them frozen in time while I lived my life. Then you were released, and I learned the truth. Half-demon. Even half-demons can live for centuries. I was happy to find out you were alive, that I had a mother, but I was also happy that I wasn't going to have to say goodbye to my friends. They're not going to move on without me. I can live with them."

"Kazuma, I didn't even think of it like that. You were going to leave them?" It makes sense. Of course it does.

"Would've been easier on all of us," he shrugged.

"I'd already decided to remove the seal when I was fourteen. I knew then that I wanted to live with you for as long as I could, and that hasn't changed. It wasn't safe for us to be demons then, but it's safe now," Shizuru said quietly.

"We're gonna wait until after the tournament though. I don't really want to be a king," Kazuma said with a grin.

"Yeah, ruling an entire world is not on my to-do list," Shizuru added. Reigan's laugh was startled and happy, because her children are going to be with her for a very long time. Not having to watch them fight in a tournament is a bonus too.

"You were gonna leave us, you punk?!" Yusuke's yelled question sounded like a war cry as he jumped over the couch, and Reigan tensed up a little as they went rolling across the carpet.

"I believe Yusuke is trying to say that he wouldn't have let you," Botan clarified as the two continued to fight.

"I don't know. They're both about the same level of stubborn," Shizuru said.

"It's too bad you're not fighting in the tournament. You could have shown them all how strong you've become," Hiei said as he sat down on the back of the couch. His knee bumped her shoulder, and she leaned over to rest her head on his thigh.

"Same goes for you! We could have kicked some demon ass together!" Yusuke yelled. How her son and nephew can have a conversation while actively fighting will always confuse her.

"We are demons, you idiot!" Kazuma replied.

"Half!"

"Half demons in the S-Class. Only those two fools could pull that off." Coming from Hiei, that's definitely a compliment. A big one too.

"I still don't understand why all of you have to fight. Don't you think King Enma and King Enki are being a little paranoid?" Botan asked. Whispers filled Reigan's mind, but they weren't loud enough to actually trigger her sight. Just little whispers of the past and present. Nothing from the future.

"No. S-Class demons can hide their strength and strike when it's least expected. I know that there are other S-Class demons in this world and Demon World, but they're…retired. It wouldn't be surprising if there were more demons out there who have grown stronger but are hiding it until the right moment. We have a better chance if we all fight," Reigan said quickly. She can't even think their names sometimes without her memories crying out and her muscles tensing. She is not paralyzing herself again.

"So, what you're saying is, old age makes you paranoid?" Yusuke asked. He and Kazuma are sitting on the floor now and grinning up at her, and she stuck her tongue out at them.

"Age makes you wise. Something you two haven't learned yet," Hiei said. He stuck up for her! Unless he's only saying that she's wise because she's old. She's not going to think too hard about his meaning and just take the compliment.

"Yeah, yeah. Now let's talk strategy," Yusuke said and rubbed his hands together. She'll be lucky if she makes it to the tournament.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** There's so much foreshadowing in this chapter! Little pieces of future plot are sprinkled throughout this chapter, because I just couldn't help myself. The next chapter is going to be fun and fluffy, because Christmas, but I am going to start steadily working towards the plot. Because there is an actual plot to this story. I'm just enjoying writing all of the happy family moments right now, but things will eventually become more serious.

One last thing before I reply to reviews: is everyone okay with a chapter dedicated to training and then another one dedicated to the tournament? I've always enjoyed writing the action scenes, so I think doing a chapter for training and then for the tournament itself will be more fun. Also, if there's any matchups you want to see at the tournament, let me know!

 **shirohara:** Thank you for the review! Yeah, I debated for a solid two hours about how to do the scene. I know FFnet has guidelines, so I didn't want it to be super detailed and get the story banned. So I'm glad you liked the edited version!

 **Aelthya:** I love Botan so much, so she's definitely winning right now. Haha, I'll try to be more careful with my chapter titles. Promise. I am really glad that you, and others, liked the Hiei-Kuwabara scene. Keeping those two in character for that kind of talk was insanely difficult. I'll always love LWIYF, it's the biggest story I've ever written and received so much support, but I'm really liking this one too. Probably because more thought has gone into this one. You don't sound like a perv! I mean, I'm the one that wrote it. And, between us, the scene that made the cut was the second version. The first version was, uh, slightly more detailed? So you're in the clear. Shizuru was a bit angry and aloof in the anime, but she's still one of my favorite characters because of how much she clearly loved her little brother. In this story, she now knows exactly who she is. So there's less anger because everything has come together, if that makes sense. (I think I'm still a chapter behind on WN, but I'll try to get caught up soon! And I still want to know when you post that new story!) Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** There's definitely a plot building in the background, but it'll be a while yet before anything too major happens. I'm not saying that it's going to be smooth sailing, Hiei and Rei will have a few things to work through, and I'm not going to change their characterization now that they're together. So it'll be fun and challenging. (I'll reply to your message soon! For now, I'm going to work on the next chapter.) Thank you for the review!

 **Baoh Joestar:** Family plays a huge role in this story, for sure. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but there will eventually be more of a "conflict" type plot. Family is a big theme throughout though. Thank you for the review!


	21. And Happy New Year

**Author's Note:** I didn't make it by Christmas, but I made it in time for New Years Eve! So this chapter covers Christmas and New Years. I hope everyone has had a good holiday!

 **Post Date:** 31 December 2016

 **Word Count:** 5725

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-One  
** **And Happy New Year**

 **December 24, 1997**

"Merry Christmas!" Reigan groaned as she tried to pull the blanket up over her head, but the top of it was twisted up under her and Hiei.

"Why is it making noise?" Hiei growled and managed to turn over. He was lying face down on the pillow, and she stopped trying to get the blanket free and just dropped her cheek onto his shoulder blade.

"Botan really likes Christmas," she mumbled sleepily.

"Today's not Christmas," Hiei pointed out.

"No, but we're having our Christmas today and going to Enki's tomorrow. I gotta get up anyway. Me and Shizuru are going to get Kazuma and Kurama from the train station." Kurama was spending today with them and going with them to Demon World tomorrow, because his family was spending the holidays somewhere tropical and warmer. Maybe they should try that next year?

"I'll walk with you to the temple. I'm not staying here with that noise."

"Be nice to Botan." She ruffled his hair as she slipped over him, and he lazily flapped a hand at her as she pulled away. She knows he'll already be dressed and waiting on her by the time she gets dressed, so he always gets to sleep in a few minutes longer than her. It's not fair.

Twenty minutes later, she was wide awake and ready to face the day. They're having dinner and exchanging presents tonight, and she's excited to see Kazuma. She's missed her son, and two weeks is just not enough time. She'll be happy when he's done with school, because she wants him to stay around for longer than just a month or so. Hiei was sitting on the perfectly made bed when she walked out, and she smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Hands gently gripped her hips and pulled her closer, and she sighed as she leaned down the smallest bit to kiss Hiei good morning.

"Do we have to go?" he asked after she pulled back.

"Yes, we have to go. Today is going to be a fun day. Wasn't last Christmas fun?" She had fun last Christmas; her whole family had been together, and there was plenty of good food and presents.

"Parts of it was entertaining." She grabbed Hiei's hands and pulled him off the bed, and their fingers laced as they left their room. Time to start the day.

 **.xXx.**

"Merry Chris—What are you doing?!" Botan yelled as Yusuke picked her up and sat her back down outside. Reigan, Hiei, and Shizuru just left so Yusuke is the only other person around. He hadn't been in his room or in the kitchen, so she had decided to check the shed. She found him, but he picked her up and carried her out before she barely even got a foot in the door!

"Working!" he yelled and slammed the door. How rude! She kicked the door for good measure and then ventured back into the house. Today is their Christmas, just for them, so they should be spending time together. Not slamming doors in people's faces!

Botan sat angrily with her arms crossed for all of ten minutes and then her good mood returned. It's Christmas, everyone is going to be here today, and she's going to have fun no matter what. Tomorrow she's going to go to Demon World with everyone and have fun there too, with her new (surprising) friends. She honestly never thought she'd get along with Koto, Juri, or Ruka after everything that happened at the Dark Tournament. They've become friends over the past year though, somewhat, and she does enjoy being in the other girls' company. So she's going to be in a good mood.

When she heard feet shuffling into the kitchen sometime later, she ignored it and continued singing along to the Christmas carols on the radio while she mixed up cake batter. She knows the others aren't back yet, and she's not speaking to Yusuke until he apologizes for almost hitting her with the shed door. Yusuke slowly walked over to where she was and leaned against the counter next to where she was working, but she made sure not to look at the giant brown puppy eyes staring up at her. It's going to take more than that for her to forgive him. After a few minutes of her ignoring him, Yusuke let out one of the loudest sighs she's ever heard and slumped completely across the counter.

"That's the worst apology I've ever heard," she said and kept mixing. If she stirred a little harder than usual, that was no one's business but hers.

"I'm really sorry, Botan. I, uh, shouldn't have picked you up like that or yelled," he said slowly.

"Or?" He's missing the most important thing! He yells all the time, so she's used to that.

"Or…or…I should not have…can I have a hint?" His upper body is actually lying completely across the counter, and he's looking at her from between his bangs. He must have forgotten to gel his hair down this morning.

"You slammed the door in my face! In my face! With no explanation!" He stood up as she slammed the mixing bowl down on the counter, and she propped her fists on her hips as he stared down at her.

"I had a good reason!"

"And what reason could that possibly be?! Hmm?!" She yelled it while poking him in the chest, repeatedly, until he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"I was working on your Christmas present! Damn thing has taken me forever to build, but you wanted a wardrobe so I ha—" Yusuke stopped yelling as she rocked up onto her toes and pressed a kiss against the corner of his lips, even though she'd been aiming for his cheek, because he's been building her Christmas present. He didn't just go out and buy some little thing; he's actually been working to put her Christmas present together, and it doesn't even matter what it looks like because that's the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for her.

"Thank you," she said quietly. He's still holding her wrist and they're standing entirely too close to each other, but she can't think of one good reason to take a step back.

"Don't thank me until you've seen the thing." Yusuke's other hand came up to rub the back of his neck, and it looks like the mighty Spirit Detective is blushing! Because of her?

"I'm sure it looks amazing, Yusuke." His cheeks darkened just a little bit, and he is blushing! She bit down on her bottom lip in an attempt to keep from laughing, but it didn't work. One giggle. Two. A whole river of them flowed out of her, and Yusuke's jaw dropped.

"Are you laughing at me?!" She's really not. She's not sure what's come over her, but Yusuke is still holding her hand and blushing. It'd be a lie to say that she's never appreciated his, uh, presence…but she's never felt like this around him. She's always known that Yusuke is a softie under his tough guy exterior, but he's really surprised her this time.

"You're just so cute," she said in between quiet laughs. Yusuke's angry look faded as he slowly started to smile, and he looked down. Saw that he was still holding her hand. She stopped laughing as his fingers spread out against the top of her hand, and she tilted her head back so that she could look at him.

"Botan?" Her name was a question, but she didn't know how to answer. Yusuke is one of her closest friends, possibly her best friend if she sat down and really thought about it, and she doesn't want to mess with that. She doesn't want to lose him.

"Yusuke! Little help!" Reigan's yell shattered their moment, and Botan watched the way that Yusuke clenched his eyes shut as he pulled away from her. When his eyes reopened, he smiled at her and reached up to ruffle his hair.

"Comin', Auntie Rei!" She didn't take a full breath until Yusuke was out of the room, and she looked down at her hand. At the hand he'd been holding.

"Well, that was certainly different," she mumbled to herself. Then she remembered how sensitive demon hearing was and decided to not think about what happened for the rest of the day.

 **.xXx.**

"Today was a good day," Reigan sighed and leaned her head to rest on Kazuma's shoulder.

"Maybe even better than last Christmas," Yusuke said quietly.

"Maybe," Shizuru hummed.

The four of them are piled onto one of the couches in the den, and it's the most comfortable that Reigan can remember being in a long time. Kazuma is sitting in the corner with her pressed tight against his side, and Shizuru and Yusuke are both lying down with their heads on her lap. The resting position means that Shizuru is spooning her younger cousin, which works because they're the same height, and it feels so good to be completely surrounded by her family. She knows that Botan and Yukina are upstairs, talking quietly as they work on organizing clothes inside of Botan's new wardrobe (that Yusuke actually built himself). Hiei and Kurama are in the room that Kurama uses when he visits, but she's not listening in on their conversation. Genkai went back home about thirty minutes ago, because the night is coming to an end.

"How long are we staying in Demon World?" Kazuma asked after a few moments of silence.

"Just for the day, I suppose. Unless any of you wants to stay longer?" She misses her old friends, but she knows there will come a time when she'll live in Demon World again. Yusuke and Kazuma have become friends with the demons they fought against in the Dark Tournament as well as her old friends, and Shizuru has become close with a few demons as well.

"Maybe until New Years?" Reigan noticed Shizuru had one eye open as her daughter asked the question, and Reigan could smell grass mixed in with the familiar scent of crisp paper and fresh ink. Strange; her extra sight rarely manifests as scents. The second scent was Shizuru, but that first one? That was Yomi. So that's why her daughter is asking for an extended stay.

"I'd be okay with that," she said quietly. She could see Shizuru's small smile, and Yusuke and Kazuma started immediately talking about what they could do during their stay. That's when it hit her. Shizuru hasn't seen Tourin since Raizen was alive, and Kazuma has never been there. They've always stayed at Enki's palace during their stays. "How about we stop by Tourin?"

"I haven't seen the place since it was upgraded," Yusuke said and started to stretch. They'll need to head up to their rooms soon, to get some rest for tomorrow.

"Then we should check it out," Kazuma said around a yawn.

"Alright, kids, time for bed." Yusuke and Kazuma shared a look, and Reigan felt her brows draw together in confusion.

"But Maaaa!" the boys yelled out in unison. Their full-on pouts caused her to laugh, and she could hear the deeper sound of Shizuru's laugh echoing hers. It took a few minutes, but she managed to get them all on their feet and up the stairs. Saying goodnight took all of ten minutes, because they kept exchanging hugs and kisses, and she was still smiling when she walked into her room.

"This whole house is ridiculous." Hiei was already sitting propped up in her bed, _their bed_ , with his back against the headboard. He was still wearing baggy black pants and a sleeveless blue shirt, but his feet were bare. Seeing as how he's normally so covered up, just being able to see to his bare toes seems intimate to her.

"Ridiculous in what way?" she asked as she moved over to her dresser. She slipped out of her pants and long sleeved shirt, sighed as her bra was removed, and then slipped a large white shirt over her head. She kept her panties and slippers on, because the blue panties are silk and feel amazing against her skin. As for the slippers, these are the ones that Hiei actually picked out himself this year. (Again, everyone got the same thing from Hiei. The only difference is that he picked the strange slippers out this time, while Christmas shopping with Kurama.) The slippers are shaped like what humans probably think demon feet look like, and her plush slippers are black with little white claws.

"Your son and nephew say goodnight by wrestling. Shizuru is the only one in this house with any sense," Hiei said as she crawled up the bed. She sleeps between Hiei and the wall, because Hiei has claimed the edge of the bed for himself, but it's all good with her. She wiggled up the bed until she was sitting with her back against the headboard as well, and she propped her legs up on his.

"I think Kurama and Yukina are pretty sensible," she countered. Yusuke and Kazuma have plenty of sense, they're both intelligent in their own ways, but they do tend to act like children when they're together.

"They don't live here permanently," Hiei pointed out. It's a good point. Reigan hummed at that and slumped over so that she could nuzzle against Hiei's shoulder, and she smiled as he reached over to lace their fingers together.

"Did you know we've been together for seven months now?" It's not her longest relationship by far, her and Eiji were only a few months shy of their twenty-first anniversary when he died, but she knows it's the longest that Hiei has ever been with one person. (He's told her that he never really dated anyone before her; he only found other demons to satisfy him when the desire arose, but he rarely visited the same demon twice.)

"I am aware of how time works." She loves his sassy attitude. Sass, sarcasm, it's all the same in the end.

"Did you think we'd be like this last Christmas?" She tightened her fingers around his as she asked it, to accentuate what she meant, and she tipped her head back so that she could look up at him.

In public, not much has changed between them. They sit a little closer than normal, but it's hard to tell that they're even a couple. Hiei will hold her hand under the dinner table though, and he always makes a point to touch her in some way before they part ways. Even if it's just a brush of his fingers down her arm before leaving the house. So it's definitely different than her previous relationships, but she loves it because it's Hiei. She knows that he makes the effort for her, and that makes all of the small things that much more special.

"I bought you a necklace." With her free hand, she reached up and ran her index finger over the part of the silver chain resting on her collarbone.

"Aha! So you did like me!" Hiei's eyes were glaring at her, but one side of his lips had quirked up. No one else would be able to tell, but she likes to think that she's become an expert in deciphering Hiei's micro expressions.

"You were tolerable." In Hiei-speak, that's right up there with a declaration of love. "You never told me if you placed any pictures inside."

"You never asked." She's only opened it a few times over the past year just to check on the state of the drawings, and they're still in perfect shape. Like she just drew them yesterday.

"I'm asking now." She pulled on the chain so that the circular locket was pulled out from under her shirt, but then she just let it thump against her chest.

"So far, I've only heard statements." Hiei huffed, and Reigan twisted around into a new position. Once she was settled, her legs were thrown over Hiei's lap so that they were sitting in a "T" position instead of sitting parallel to one another. She can see Hiei's face easier this way, and it's always easier to read him when she can see his whole face.

"Can I see inside the locket?" And he only clenched his jaw for forty-five seconds! Instead of reaching up to open the locket for him, she tilted her head to the side and smiled at him.

"Go ahead. Take a look." She leaned her head back but looked down as Hiei reached forward, and he let the back of the locket rest against his palm as he pressed the little button on the side. The locket popped open easily, and she carefully watched his eyes as he took in the pictures. On the right side is the picture that she drew of Shizuru, Kazuma, and Yusuke. A muscle in Hiei's cheek twitched, which she knows means that he's holding in a smile.

"Sentimental fool." She quirked a brow at that and then waited for him to look at the second picture. When he first looked at it, his eyebrows pulled down in confusion. She'd only drawn their silhouettes, so she can understand why it took him a few seconds to realize what it was. His thumb lightly pressed against the center of the picture, and she smiled as his eyes flicked up to meet hers. "This is from that dance at your return celebration."

"Botan managed to snap a picture of us. It's in the scrapbook, and I used it to draw that." His thumb was still pressed against the paper, and she watched as he pressed against the paper and felt something under it.

"The note." He wasn't guessing. She could tell from the look in his dark eyes that he realized what it was, and she reached up to hold the locket with him.

"Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, you sentimental fool," she recited. His other hand reached up to grab hers and pull it away from the locket, and he carefully closed it. Once the familiar weight was against her chest, Hiei pulled her arm farther out and then reached into the pocket of his pants with his other hand. She's been waiting for this.

"Kurama explained that jewelry is customary at holidays," was his explanation as he pressed something metal against her left wrist. A bracelet was placed just above the prayer beads on her wrist, and she looked down to see what it looked like.

The bracelet itself was silver metal, and it was made up of two rows of metal lilacs. The flowers overlapped, like they'd been welded together, and she squinted as she held her wrist up close to her face. She could feel a very familiar energy coming from the bracelet, and it smells like…smoke and mint. Her eyes widened as she looked up at Hiei, and she could tell that he was being very careful to keep his face impassive. Like she would hate anything that he gave her? Especially something this personal.

"You made this." When she'd been wracking her brain for a present to get for Hiei, she'd gotten a flash of a bracelet. No color or design. She'd only been able to see a line wrapped around her wrist, so she assumed that he'd picked out something when he went Christmas shopping with Kurama.

"It wasn't that difficult." Wasn't that difficult? He created at least two dozen lilacs from metal and then used his fire to weld them together to make a perfect bracelet. It fits against her arm just right, so that it doesn't move at all but also doesn't cut off her circulation.

"Yeah, well, mine was a little difficult." At his confused look, she grinned and reached behind her. Her fingers touched against something hard, and she slowly pulled Hiei's present out of her pillowcase. His eyes narrowed a little as she extended her free arm, palm up, and he sighed as he placed his hand in hers. She held his fingers together as she slipped the bracelet over his hand, and she smiled once it was resting over his left wrist. A perfect fit, just like she'd hoped.

"You knew I was getting you a bracelet." His tone was slightly accusatory, and her grin was a little sheepish.

"Not what kind, or that you'd make it from scratch." When he just continued to glare at her, she pointedly rolled her eyes and tilted her head. "I'm a seer, and the Jagan makes you a seer and telepathic. I don't know if we'll ever be able to completely surprise each other."

"We'll see about that." It's not like she was challenging him! Hiei kept a hold on her fingers as he looked down to inspect the bracelet, and she smiled at her creation. She didn't lie when she said it was difficult to do.

"The beads are made from lava from Mount Nobi, so they'll be able to withstand your fire. The dragon should too." The beads are about the same size as her own prayer beads, but they're black instead of a light cream like hers. In the center, resting over the center of his wrist, is a small dragon head carved from tungsten. She actually held her breath as Hiei leaned down to get an even closer look.

"You used jewels for the dragon's eyes. Why?" His nose was nearly brushing the silver dragon's head as he looked up at her, and she flexed her fingers against his as she gathered her thoughts.

"I wasn't going to, but I remembered that I had some taaffeite stashed in one of the weapon trunks. It's pretty rare, as far as jewels go, but it's such a dark purple that it nearly looks black. I thought it could be my little way of honoring the Jagan and the Dragon," she explained quickly. Tungsten wasn't easy to carve and setting the jewels hadn't been easy, but she's still proud of the result.

"And you infused the beads with your energy." She shrugged at that, because he did the same thing. Now any demon that gets close enough to them will be able to feel the energy coming from the bracelets and realize that they're taken, and that's more than okay with her.

"Gotta make sure all those demons in Alaric know that you're off limits." She punctuated the statement with a grin, and Hiei grinned back in response. He smirks pretty regularly, but it's still so rare to see a proper smile from him. Despite the grin though, she's being completely serious. After they finish celebrating at Enki's, they're going their separate ways to train for the tournament. She'll stay in Tourin, and Hiei's going to Alaric.

"Take off those ridiculous shoes so I can thank you properly." Her legs are still thrown over his lap, and she looked down at the large black slippers on her feet.

"But they're so cute!" Hiei glared down at her feet like they'd insulted him, and she waited for him to speak.

"I'm not kissing you with those on." The look he gave her was a challenge, and she felt the muscles in her legs tensing as she smiled wide enough to show her fangs.

"Then I guess I'll just kiss you."

Hiei grunted as she suddenly jumped on him, and he tried to twist away from her reaching arms. It took a few moments, but she managed to get her fingers tangled in his wild hair and pressed tight against his skull. All of the struggling had them rolled nearly to the foot of the bed, and Hiei's weight was pressing her down against the mattress. His cheeks were flushed and there was a small smile on his face, and he looked beautiful like this. Happy and all hers. She held his head still as she leaned up to kiss him, and she waited for him to melt against her before raising her foot to press the slipper against the exposed skin of his back. Her squeal quickly turned into laughter as Hiei put her legs in a lock and tore the slippers from her feet, and her last coherent thought was that she hoped she didn't wake anyone up with the loud noise.

 **December 25, 1997**

"Quit glaring," Reigan whispered out of the corner of her mouth. Hiei, who was sitting next to her, made a deep humming sound and continued to glare.

"He's just being overprotective," Natsume whispered from her other side.

"There's nothing over about it," Hiei growled. That caused Reigan and Natsume to both start laughing, which Hiei completely ignored so that he could keep looking in his sister's direction. Yukina was across the room and talking quietly to Touya, and it looked like the sweet ice maiden was having a fun conversation with the ice master. It was also perfectly innocent. They weren't even touching!

"So, Natsume, given into Chu yet?" Natsume's face turned the same shade of pink as her eyes, and the younger demon looked at her straight on. Natsume never has been one to look away when embarrassed. Nope, the shadow demon faces everything head on. Her brother is the same way.

"Not until we're on an even level."

"He's in the S-Class." Hiei's voice was monotone and disinterested, since he's still watching Yukina with a laser-like focus, but he's got a good point.

"He's an idiot." Natsume also has a very good point. Reigan looked around the room and saw the giant demon laughing with Enki and Shu, and she likes what she's seen of Chu. Yeah, he drinks a lot, but he's an alchemist. He uses the alcohol to increase his strength, and he's an impressive fighter.

"But you still like him." Her voice was quiet and songlike, and Natsume's jaw clenched. Reigan can feel the pull between the two of them; Chu has already given into the pull, but Natsume is fighting it.

"I need to make sure that he's strong enough. You know that." Ah, yes. Natsume had a mate, back when she was a couple of centuries old, but he died only a few years after their mating. Reigan reached over to grab Natsume's hand, and the other woman held on tightly.

"Do you want me to see?" She'd asked Natsume the same thing before she mated the first time, but the woman had turned her down. Said she wanted to be surprised.

"Yes." Hiei's eyes flicked over to meet hers, but he didn't say anything before turning back to look at Yukina and Touya. Reigan tightened her grip on Natsume's hand and then closed her eyes, and she did her best to focus on Natsume's energy. On Chu's energy. Envisioned the two energies combined into something new, and she heard…laughter. Sweet, tinkling laughter, like little bells.

"You'll fight and you'll laugh and you'll build a beautiful life together." _Blue. Pink. Rainbows and lightning. Hand outstretched and sunlight._ "She's going to be beautiful, Natsume. Absolutely perfect."

"Excuse me." Natsume had pulled away and was walking away before she had her eyes completely open, and she blinked in confusion at the sight of the woman's retreating back. Her sight rarely shows her anything good, and what she just saw was pure happiness.

"What did I say that was so wrong?" She wasn't expecting an answer, since Hiei is the only one around her now, but he surprised her. It's one of his specialties.

"Knowing the future can be a burden. You just told her that she's going to have a child with someone she hasn't even decided to be with yet. She needs time to adjust."

"Knowing the future is a burden, that's true, but she's going to be happy." Reigan can feel it, deep down inside, that Natsume is going to be happy. All she has to do is just let herself.

"Have you looked at our future?" Hiei's looking directly at her now, and she felt his fingers press against the swell of her knee under the table.

"We make our own destiny, remember?" Only one side of his lips quirked up, but it was good enough for her. She leaned back in her seat to look around the room, and it was a good sight. Old friends, new friends, and family are all gathered together in one room. They didn't exchange presents, there's too many of them for that, but they ate together. She's sure the dancing will start any minute now.

"We saw our future once." That's something she'll never forget. Even though every inch of her had been vibrating from pain from her little stunt with the raven, she'd still felt the warmth of the vision she shared with Hiei. They'd been so happy. "That happiness is our future. Nothing else matters."

She leaned over to press a quick kiss against his cheek, because he's usually not so vocal about their future. They take things one a day at a time. The hand on her knee moved so that his arm was wrapped around her back, and she snuggled into his side. She can see Shizuru laughing with Yomi, and Kazuma and Yusuke are fighting with Jin and Souketsu. Yes, their future will be happy. They'll make sure of it.

 **December 31, 1997**

Reigan swayed to the side and would have face planted if Kuwabara hadn't caught her, and he smiled as his ma lightly patted his chest in thanks for saving her. Her dark eyes were wide and a little glazed over, and some hair had fallen out of her braid. Once she was standing steadily again, Kuwabara let go of her arms but kept a close eye on her. They've been here for nearly a week, and most of the demons have been drinking nonstop since Christmas night. Kuwabara's not sure how any of them are still alive, but watching Yusuke lead a conga line is worth the worry about his liver. Demons have advanced healing, so they should be fine.

"Reigan! Come take another drink for me!" Kokou yelled out. The current queen is around six months pregnant and starting to really show, so she's the only one that's remained sober the entire time.

"I've been taking drinks for you since I got here!" Kuwabara was impressed. His ma's speech wasn't slurred at all.

"Three thousand years of bitchiness! You owe me!" Kokou was perched on a giant mound of pillows and blankets that Enki had brought outside, and Ma sighed as she looked over at the lion demon. Ma's never held back on the events of her past, so she's told him that she was always cold to Kokou when she was with Raizen. She's trying to make up for it now, but Kuwabara isn't sure that being a surrogate drinker is the right way to make amends.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'! Love ya, Kazuma!" Since she's so much shorter than him, his ma kissed her fingertips and then reached up to press them against his cheek. After that, she walked over to where Kokou was on surprisingly steady feet.

"D'ya think it gets easier with time?" Yusuke was standing on his right side now, and he was only leaning to the side a little. His speech was slightly slurred, but his eyes looked clear enough.

"They've had thousands of years," Kuwabara shrugged. He won't lie, at least to himself, but it freaks him out a little when he thinks about his ma being over seven thousand years old. Before she came out of that statue, he didn't think he'd live long enough to see the end of one century. He knows half-demons aren't exactly like full blooded demons, but there's still a strong possibility that he'll live for a lot longer than he ever imagined.

"I don't think I can do this for a thousand years," Yusuke groaned.

"They don't drink constantly. Except for maybe Kokou and Chu." Kurama was standing on his other side, and the three of them were looking out at the wide expanse of demons dancing and drinking under the night sky.

"How d'ya stay sober?" Yusuke asked. He was looking past Kuwabara at Kurama, and the redhead really does look completely sober. Kuwabara's almost positive he saw him drinking with Touya and Souketsu earlier though.

"Years of practice." Kurama's smile was small and possibly a little secretive, and Kuwabara heard a loud grunt as Hiei stepped up next to Kurama.

"He switches out his drinks for something non-alcoholic. You're not as sneaky as you think you are, fox," Hiei said and crossed his arms. Now it's just the four of them standing back and watching, and this is familiar. The four of them standing together.

"No one else has noticed." Yusuke laughed as Hiei rolled his eyes, and Kuwabara let out a few chuckles of his own. On instinct, he looked around for the other members of their family. His ma was sitting on the blankets and pillows with Kokou, and the two women looked like they were getting along okay. Shizuru was sitting next to Yomi on one of the slight hills, and he tried not to notice how their sides were practically glued together. Yukina was talking with Touya, Jin, and Koto. Botan was talking with Enki and Koenma, who had shown up earlier today with Enki's invitation.

"Did ya ever think we'd wind up here? Back when I was kicking your ass on the regular?" Kuwabara glared down at Yusuke but kept in his usual yelled insult, because Yusuke actually looked serious.

"Yeah, I knew that we were half-demon cousins and that we'd one day spend Christmas in a world of demons. You tellin' me you had no idea?" Yusuke's dopey grin looked ridiculous, and he heard Hiei mutter something about all of them being idiots while Kurama laughed quietly.

Before anyone could say anything else, fireworks erupted in the sky. All of the dancing, and fighting, demons paused to watch as the colors lit up the area around them. Kuwabara could hear the "oohs" and "ahs" at the sight of the pretty colors, as Botan called them while clapping, and he smiled. It's the start of a new year.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** It took a little longer than I was expecting, but here's the holiday chapter! There was going to be more, but it was getting a little long. I thought about writing a scene for Hiei and Kurama's Christmas shopping trip. So, if there's anyone that would want to read that, let me know!

For anyone that likes the visuals, I've posted links for the presents on my profile page! You still have to remove the spaces because FFnet doesn't like links for some reason. I've posted pictures of Botan's wardrobe, the slippers that Hiei bought everyone, Hiei's bracelet, the bracelet that Hiei gave Reigan, and Reigan's prayer beads.

So, I don't write for reviews. I won't stop writing if no one reviews, and I won't refuse to update unless I get a certain amount of reviews. That being said, I really do appreciate every review that I get. They inspire me and encourage me to keep writing, and I like knowing my reader's thoughts! I feel like I won't become a better writer unless I get some feedback, so I would love to know what you think of the story so far!

Since I didn't really get any reviews for the last chapter, I'm going to ask again: is everyone okay with a chapter dedicated to training and then another one dedicated to the tournament? I've always enjoyed writing the action scenes, so I think doing a chapter for training and then for the tournament itself will be more fun. Also, if there's any matchups you want to see at the tournament, let me know!

 **Aelthya:** Thank you so much for the review! I've really enjoyed building the relationship between Reigan and Hiei, and they're going to continue to grow. As for the familial bonds, I can't help myself. I just want them all to be one big happy family. Yep! There's going to be a little Enki or Kokou! (Which is kind of terrifying, but I'm really excited to write for it!) Kokou and Rei have a strange relationship, and I'll explain it more in upcoming chapters. What traumatized Rei? Yeah, it hasn't been mentioned yet. It's a plot secret. Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about your computer! You don't have to worry about me giving up on WN though. When you get back to writing, I'll be sure to read. Your story is too good to stop reading! And thank you again for the review!


	22. You'll Think Of Something

**Author's Note:** It's been forever since I've updated, and I'm so sorry! There's a lot of skipping around in this chapter, I hope that's okay, and I'm going to try to get this next one out as soon as possible.

 **Post Date:** 15 March 2017

 **Word Count:** 6885

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Two  
** **You'll Think Of Something**

 **January 1, 1998**

"This place is huge!" Kazuma yelled as they looked up at the palace. Reigan smiled as she took in the sight of the palace surrounded by so much greenery, and it was like looking into the past. Like Raizen would explode out of a window any moment now and start yelling for her to get the men together.

"Definitely not the palace that I remember," Shizuru said and placed her hand on Reigan's shoulder. Reigan smiled up at her daughter as she lightly patted her hand and tried to shake off the old nostalgia.

"Not the palace I remember either," Yusuke said quietly.

"Well, it looks exactly like the palace that I remember. This is how Tourin was always meant to look," she said and continued to look at the large palace. Before anyone could react to her comment, the large doors in front of them opened and Hokushin came out. He smiled as he greeted them, and Reigan straightened her shoulders as she smiled back.

"My lady! Lord Urameshi!" Hokushin's bow was deep, and Reigan rolled her eyes. The bowing became unnecessary after the first thousand years, but Hokushin has always been a stickler for proper etiquette.

"Don't get all weepy on us, Hokushin. We're just stayin' for tonight," Yusuke said and waved a hand.

"Except for me. I'm staying to train," Reigan said with a grin after Hokushin had straightened back up. Training…it's been a very long time since she trained with anyone, and a part of her is looking forward to it. It's been too long since she really let herself go.

"Even if you are only staying for the night, we must celebrate your return." Yusuke huffed but didn't argue, and Hokushin turned around while barking orders. Ooh, a feast. She might not be as hungry as she was before she started taking the supplements, but she still loves a good feast.

"Come along, children. Let's go celebrate the Lord's return," Reigan said as she looped her arms around Shizuru and Kazuma. Her two children immediately started poking fun at their cousin, but Yusuke just laughed them off. Now this is something that she can get used to.

 **January 3, 1998**

Shizuru was escorted into a large library, and she looked around at the tall bookshelves once she was left alone. It was a beautiful room, and she let her fingertips trail across book spines that were probably older than her as she walked the length of the room. After reaching the end of a bookshelf, she looked out of the large window. Below her, she could see the gardens. Some small demon, with blue skin and green hair, was tending to flowers twice her height. It's different than Enki's palace and Tourin's, but Gandara is still beautiful in its own way.

" _Are you sure this is what you want, Shizuru?" Her mother's voice was calm, her eyes were clear, but Shizuru knew that she was worried. It was something that she could feel as she looked over at her mother._

" _I'm not eloping with the man, mother. I just want to spend some time with him, away from everyone's eyes." Mother reached up to rub the back of her neck at that, because they both know that she watches Shizuru and Yomi closely whenever they're together. Shizuru reached across the couch to grab her mother's hand, and dark blue eyes rose to meet hers. "I know you just want to look out for me, Mother, and I appreciate it. I really, really do. It's just…how do I say this without sounding like a complete ass?"_

" _Oh, Shizuru." Mother's words were cut off as she laughed quietly, and it's a good sound. It's a sound that she's gotten used to again. "Just be honest, sweet girl."_

" _You haven't called me that since I was a kid," Shizuru pointed out. They're getting close to the two year mark of Mother's release, but Shizuru still lived twenty years without her mother around. It doesn't matter that she couldn't remember Reigan; she was on her own for twenty years._

" _Speak your mind, Shizuru." Mother always could tell when she was deflecting, and Shizuru is pretty sure that it's more of a mother thing than a seer thing._

" _I raised Kazuma alone. I know you didn't have a choice, and I don't blame you for anything. It doesn't change the fact that I was alone, for twenty years. Kazuma was my whole world. All I knew was that I had to take care of him, no matter what. I put him first. I've always put him first, because I love him. He's my baby bro, and there's nothing I won't do for him. But twenty years is a long time to be alone." She gave up her life to take care of Kazuma, and she's never regretted it. Her baby bro has grown into an amazing person, and she's proud of him. He's grown up now though. An adult. She can focus on herself now without feeling selfish, can't she?_

" _My sweet selfless girl." Mother's words came out in a sigh, and Shizuru let her mother pull her into a hug. It was comforting to pillow her head in her mother's lap and feel her small fingers combing through her hair, because she missed her mother. She misses her father. She misses the life they could have had, the four of them. "I'm proud of you, Shizuru. You raised your brother into the person that he is, without any help from anyone, and you're right. It's time for you to live your life. If Yomi makes you happy, I won't stand between you. I've only ever wanted you to be happy."_

" _I know, Mother." She knows her upbringing wasn't traditional, but she never doubted that her parents loved her. Even when she couldn't remember them, she knew that they loved her. That was the thought she held onto when she was changing dirty diapers and helping with homework and bandaging scrapes and crying at graduation._

" _So go be happy."_

"This is a surprise." The deep voice pulled her out of her thoughts, and Shizuru smiled as she turned around. The window felt cool against her back, and she crossed her arms as she watched Yomi walk farther into the room. He's…different. She's heard Yusuke and Kurama talk about him, briefly, but he seems normal to her. Well, it'd taken her a minute to get used to the horns and extra ears. He also does this thing where he's completely honest when she talks to her, and Shizuru knows he's being honest because she can always tell when someone is lying.

"Good surprise or bad surprise?" He's close enough to her now that she can smell freshly cut grass and ink, so he's probably been working. She likes that he's taller than her. At five-eleven, she's taller than most guys. She has to tip her head back to see Yomi's face though. They haven't done anything besides talk and dance, and it's nice to just talk to someone.

"Depends. Is Reigan going to storm my palace anytime soon to retrieve you?" Shizuru's laugh was startled out of her, and she could hear Yomi's own deep chuckle under the sound of her own crazed laughter.

"Why? Are you scared?" Mother has never held back about her life, so Shizuru knows that her mother kidnapped Yomi once upon a time. Centuries and centuries ago. Ugh, most of the people she knows are horrendously old.

"Of your mother?" She hummed her answer as Yomi stepped closer, and they're nearly close enough to touch now. "Only a fool wouldn't be, but I'll fight for you if I must."

"Good answer."

 **January 12, 1998**

Yusuke was sprawled out across the bench with his eyes closed when he heard quiet footsteps approaching, but he kept his eyes closed. The footsteps faltered, and the abrupt sound was followed by a quiet sigh. Then the footsteps continued, but the light sound was replaced with the sound of shoes dragging across the ground. A minute later, the bench squeaked quietly as more weight was added. Yusuke is taking up most of the bench, but he didn't move to give the newcomer more room.

"You do know that Kuwabara goes to a different university, right?" Her voice was quiet and even, only a little angry sounding, and he cracked a smile without opening his eyes.

"Not lookin' for Kuwabara." He knows that Kuwabara's schedule is full today; it's Monday, which is his busiest day. They've been back in the Human World for a little over a week, and Kuwabara returned to campus nearly immediately. Auntie Rei was still in Tourin, Shizuru was in Gandara, Hiei was in Alaric, and he wasn't really sure about Kurama. Botan and Yukina were both at Genkai's though.

"Why are you here, Yusuke?" He finally peeked an eye open, but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking out across the empty park.

"Can't I visit an old friend, Keiko?" She huffed as she turned to look at him, and he opened both eyes so that he could look at her head on.

"I'm not stupid, Yusuke. It's been three years. Are you fighting in the tournament this time?" Why'd Keiko have to be so smart? He took his arms off of the back of the bench so that he could cross them over his chest, but Keiko never looked away from his eyes.

"I am, but it's complicated. Lot's changed in the past few years," he mumbled. That's an understatement.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you tell me then." Keiko stated it like a challenge, so Yusuke had to tell her everything.

She knew about Atsuko passing away, and she reached over to grab his hand when he talked about his mom's last days. He'd shut everyone out when Atsuko was dying, and it'd taken a few months for him to remember that he still had people in his corner. Four months after Atsuko passed, Auntie Rei was released. Keiko had a permanent look of shock on her face as he talked about his long lost aunt, who was actually Kuwabara's biological mother, and he didn't blame her. It's been almost two years since he found out, and he's still a little shocked sometimes too. She laughed with him as he recounted a few stories over the past couple of years, and she never once let go of his hand.

"So this will be the last tournament. No more fighting." Keiko snorted, quietly, but didn't let go of his hand.

"You'll never stop fighting." She didn't sound angry, so he didn't correct her. Her fingers tightened around his, and he looked over to meet her eyes. "I'm happy for you, Yusuke. I'm glad that you're not alone."

Sometimes, when he's away from everyone else, he thinks about Reigan and Eiji. His auntie fell in love with a human even though she knew that she was going to outlive him, and he knows that she doesn't regret it. He can also tell just how much it hurts her; she loved a human and watched him die. That's one of the reasons why he and Keiko broke up. He didn't want to watch her grow old, without him. Even now, he can see the little differences between them. He looks sixteen sometimes, but Keiko has matured. She's twenty-two now, so she's still young, but she's aging.

"And what about you? Move on from me yet?" He's teasing her, but he really is curious. When she blushes at the question and avoids his eyes, he feels…happy. He thought he'd be a little angry, maybe even jealous, but he just wants her to be happy. That's the main reason why they broke up. Keiko deserves a normal life, and that's something she'd never have with him.

"It's still new, but I really like him. He's sweet, and smart, and normal." Keiko finished with a quiet laugh, and Yusuke smiled at the quiet sound. He always liked Keiko's laugh.

"So everything I'm not?" Keiko was still smiling when she looked at him, and she raised her free hand to press lightly against his cheek.

"Oh, Yusuke, you were always sweet. Without even realizing it most of the time. You should move on too." That got a laugh out of him, and he relaxed back against the bench.

"I don't think there's anyone else willing to put up with me." He can admit that he's flawed, okay? No one's perfect.

"Yeah, you've always been pretty oblivious to stuff like that. Trust me, Yusuke, there's people out there willing to put up with you." She smiled as she said it, and it's good to see such a happy look on Keiko's face. She hadn't looked too happy in the days leading up to their breakup. She was still smiling when she stood up, and he tipped his head back so he could keep looking at her.

"If you're ever in trouble, you know how to find me." She swung their arms for a moment and then nodded.

"I know, but I'm okay. Really, Yusuke, you don't need to worry about me." He held still as she leaned forward to press a kiss against the top of his head, and he let go of her hand after she pulled back. "You'll always be my first love. No matter what happens, we'll have that."

"No matter what happens," he repeated. What if he lives for seven thousand years like his Auntie Rei? Will he still be able to remember Keiko seven thousand years from now?

"Goodbye, Yusuke." He watched as she walked off, and he didn't look away until she'd disappeared from sight completely. He needs to get back to the temple; he's already been gone longer than he planned. Genkai's probably going to yell at him for shirking his responsibilities, and Botan gets worried when he disappears for too long.

"Goodbye, Keiko."

 **February 5, 1998**

Reigan ducked the punch aimed for her face and kicked out, but Hokushin easily bent away from the attack. Her vine lashed out as they continued to face each other, and her grin bared her fangs as a few drops of blood hit the ground. She nicked Hokushin's shoulder. They've been squaring off for a week now, and this is the first time one of them has landed a blow in two days. (The last landed blow had been on her; Hokushin had landed a solid blow just above her knee and caused her leg to collapse under her.)

"You win this time, my lady." She straightened up with a quiet groan but kept on smiling. The rules had been simple. First one to draw blood wins.

"It's been an honor, Hokushin." She can still remember when the earth elemental was young and still learning how to fight; Raizen oversaw his training personally, but Hokushin is a more careful fighter than Raizen was.

"The honor was mine, Lady Reigan. Start again at first light?" The first sun is already starting to go down, so it'll be night soon. That gives her plenty of time to rest.

"Sounds good to me. See you then." Hokushin bowed his head before leaving, and Reigan slumped back against a tree. It'd only take her half an hour to run to her room in the palace, five minutes if she used her feather, but she doesn't want to go in just yet. She wants to just lean back and enjoy being surrounded by Tourin for a little while.

Around an hour later, she felt a familiar surge of energy headed her way. The energy spike was deliberate, because she knows that he can keep himself concealed, and she grinned as she quickly moved to her feet. She can't feel anyone else in the area, it was cleared out days ago while she was fighting against Hokushin, and she knows that the earth elemental is back at the palace now. There's no one close by, except for the energy that's getting increasingly closer to her. She could hold her ground and wait for him, or…she can have a little fun with this.

" _Catch me if you can,"_ she thought as loud as she could before turning around and running. A low growl echoed in her mind as she laughed, and rough rocks turned to dust under her feet as she pounded across the ground. The mountain had given way to soft grass and tall trees when hands grabbed her shoulders and forced her to ground, and she used her elbows to soften her fall.

"I win," Hiei growled in her ear. She pushed her forehead against the grass before tensing her thighs, and she sank her fangs into her bottom lip as she used her strength to flip them over. Hiei landed on his back with her spine crushing his torso, and she quickly twisted around so that she was straddling his lap. His hair looked even wilder than usual, from chasing after her, and his dark eyes looked nearly black as he looked up at her.

"What's that about winning?" The sound Hiei made can only be classified as a roar as he swiftly moved to his feet, and a quiet grunt was forced out of her as her back slammed against a tree. She's in her usual training gear, which is just a pair of loose pants and bandages around her chest, so she could feel bark scraping across her shoulders and lower back. It made her hips arch forwards, against Hiei, and she made a quiet sound as sharp fangs ran along the side of her neck. Her laugh was low and rough as she braced against the tree to lift her legs and wrap them around Hiei's waist, and she nipped to the top of his ear as his hands moved over the bare skin of her ribs and stomach. "Did you miss me?"

"Paperwork from Mukuro about a territory dispute." There's a sharp nick of teeth under her jaw, and Reigan groaned as she lifted her head to give him more access to her skin.

"I think that's Hokushin responsibility." Her voice sounded a little rougher than usual, probably because she hasn't seen Hiei since right after the Christmas celebration at Enki's, and her hands started pulling on the thin shirt that he's wearing.

"Then we'll give it to him later." One hand left her so that Hiei could pull something off of his belt and toss it to the side, looked like one of the cases that the kingdoms use to transport important documents, but she stopped thinking about it as hands started pulling at her pants.

"Later, later sounds good," she huffed out against his shoulder. If she comes back even sweatier and bloodier than Hokushin left her, she has a feeling that the other demon will understand. It's been too long, and she needs Hiei. _Now_.

Reigan had to forcibly remove her legs from Hiei's waist so that she push her pants down, and she kicked them off in the direction of whatever Hiei had been carrying. While she was busy stripping down, Hiei pulled off his own shirt and had his pants pulled down to his thighs. That's good enough for her. She wrapped both hands around the back of his neck and pulled him back to her, and she felt the rough scrape of the bark against her shoulders as she braced her back against the tree and pushed off the ground.

Lips covered hers as she locked her ankles around the small of Hiei's back, and she could feel his hands digging into her hips as he struggled to hold her still. Then he finally, _finally_ , slipped inside of her. She bit down on his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood as he pushed all the way inside, because she's been ready for this ever since she first felt his energy headed right for her. She moaned against his cheek as he pulled back and then roughly pushed forward again, and she tightened her thighs to let him know that she wanted him to keep the rough pace.

It's been over a month since she'd set eyes on him, over a month since she was able to feel his skin against hers, and she doesn't want to go slow. She wants to feel every inch of him against her, wants to feel him moving inside of her, because she needs to know that he's just as desperate as she is. The back of her head thrashed against the tree as Hiei's hands pulled at her thighs, pulled her harder against him, and she dug her nails into his back. She hated that she was wearing the bandages around her back and chest, because she wants to feel all of him, but this will have to do for now.

Her whole body was tense as Hiei slammed against her, again and again, and she cried out as rough fingertips moved between her legs. Hiei moved the hand still on her thigh to grip her hip and shift his angle, and all she could manage was a hoarse whisper of his name as the new angle caused him to hit all the parts inside of her that made her shake. His other hand stayed between her legs, moving lazily in comparison to the rough thrusts filling her, and she heard the tree cracking as she threw her head back with a scream. Teeth clamped against her shoulder while her vision was still slowing returning, and she moaned quietly as her whole body was suffused with heat.

Hot breaths dried the sweat on the side of her neck, and she kept her ankles locked so that she could hold Hiei against her for a little longer. Once her breathing was back under control, she lifted her head away from the tree and turned just enough to meet Hiei's eyes. The dark look was gone, replaced with his usual crimson colored eyes, and she shivered a little as she watched him lick the blood off his lips. _Her blood_. Come to think of it, her shoulder is burning a little. Most of her is aching now, but she can live with it. Live with it…she's already looking forward to it happening again.

"I missed you," Hiei finally admitted. He's still pressed tight against her, she can feel his every breath, but somehow the admission feels even more intimate. She ducked forward to nuzzle against the side of his neck, enjoyed taking in his smoky scent after so many weeks apart, and then sighed as she pulled back.

"I missed you too, but we should probably try to find my pants."

 **.xXx.**

Hiei watched the way that the dark blue pants Reigan was wearing hung low on her hips, and his eyes slowly moved up the rest of her body. The scrapes from the tree bark on her lower back and tops of her shoulders have faded, but there are still streaks of dried blood on the bandages that are wrapped around her back. Her braided hair, which had to be braided again once they were redressed, was being held on top of her head. It meant that he could see the dark bruise on the bare top of her shoulder, from where all of his teeth had held onto her, and he can feel the marks she clawed into his back even though they're already healing.

"Are you looking at my ass?" Reigan's hasn't even looked over her shoulder, and the sound of her voice echoed in the empty hallways of the palace.

"No," he answered honestly. He liked seeing a mark that he left on her bare skin, and he liked knowing that others would be able to see it. It's not as permanent as a mating, their energies are combined but not at that level, but this is good enough for now. The tournament is only a couple of months away and then he can be with Reigan as much as he wants.

"That's a shame. I've been told I've got a great ass." Hiei was about to ask by who, so he could kill them, when Reigan suddenly turned into an office. Hokushin was sitting in a chair behind a desk piled with papers, and the earth elemental smiled when he saw Reigan. "Hiei's got some territory dispute papers from Mukuro."

"Not them again," Hokushin said quietly and held a hand out. Hiei handed over the case he'd been carrying, and Hokushin quickly pulled the papers out and started scanning them. Once he realized that Hiei and Reigan were still in the room, he looked up and met Hiei's eyes. "I'll have them done by tomorrow morning. I am sure that Lady Reigan can keep you entertained until then."

"Hmm, what do you think, Hiei? Think I can keep you entertained until tomorrow morning?" Reigan was smiling at him, and the look in her dark eyes was hungry.

"You'll think of something."

 **February 13, 1998**

Yusuke ducked the small foot aimed at his head, the small foot that would have definitely caved his skull in, and landed flat on his back on the ground. That same foot immediately pressed against the center of his chest, not hard enough to break anything but still enough to hold him down, and he felt his bruised face split in a grin. Honey brown eyes rolled as Genkai huffed, and she lightly kicked his ribs before sitting on the ground next to his hip. Looks like the training for today is over. Or just on pause, knowing that crazy old hag. (Yusuke doesn't care if she looks barely twenty; he'll always think of Genkai as a crazy old hag.)

"Do you have any idea what tomorrow is?" He's still not used to the sound of her voice though. Genkai's voice was always scratchy and deep. Now it's soft and a little higher, but Yusuke's not an idiot. She can still kick his ass. Even more now that she's in her prime.

"Uh, Saturday?" All of the days are kinda blending together, because he does pretty much the same thing every day. Getting his ass kicked by Genkai sums it up. Oh, and he gets to eat sometimes.

"I'm giving you tomorrow off. Try not to be such a dimwit." Genkai slapped a hand against the center of his chest, hard enough to make him grunt and curl up from the force of it, but she's walking away by the time he gets his breath back.

"That was a cheap shot, Grandma, and you know it!" he yelled at her back. She raised a single finger in the air before disappearing completely, and Yusuke rolled his eyes before getting to his feet.

The house was quiet when he made it back, which he took as a blessing, and he was barely able to stay conscious long enough to take a shower. By the time he was clean, he was swaying on his feet from the exhaustion. Genkai'd been kicking his ass up and down Mount Aoyama for the past week, and he doesn't care if the sun is still up. He's taking a nap. He tossed the blanket onto the ground and pushed the sheets to the foot of the bed, because his body temperate is too high, before collapsing. His tired body bounced against the mattress before falling still, and he hugged a pillow under his head as he closed his eyes. He was out cold in seconds.

When Yusuke finally woke up again, the sun was high in the sky and his stomach felt empty. The rest of him felt refreshed though, so the nap definitely helped. He took a few minutes enjoying being alone in his room, especially since he remembered Genkai giving him the day off, but he got bored pretty quickly. He kept on the blue shorts he'd slept in and pulled on a yellow shirt with missing sleeves, and he didn't bother putting anything in his hair. Just ran his fingers through it to make sure it wasn't standing up too bad and then started down the stairs. Food first. After that? He'd figure it out later.

The kitchen was empty, but his enhanced hearing could make out the sound of the TV on. Auntie Rei is in Tourin, Hiei is in Alaric, Shizuru is in Gandara (still), and Kuwabara is at the university. That means it's just been him and Botan in the house since New Year's, but Yukina comes over to visit. Or Botan visits Yukina at the temple. It depends on what they're currently working on, because the two of them are constantly coming up with new projects. Just to be on the safe side, Yusuke made a second sandwich. His own sandwich was twice the size of the one he made for Botan, but she might have already eaten. If she has, he'll take it upon himself to eat the second sandwich. It was a little hard to carry two drinks and two plates, but he managed before walking into the living room.

"Yusuke!" Botan jumped when she saw him, after he'd already walked around the couch and was about to sit down, so he waited until he was sitting comfortably next to her to raise a brow at her.

"Yeah, I'm Yusuke. And you're Botan. Sandwich?" She'd started to narrow her eyes at him and had her lips pursed like she was going to yell at him, but her expression went blank when he held out the second sandwich.

"Oh, thanks." The smile she gave him was small as she took the plate with the smaller sandwich, and he passed over the second drink without a word. He tucked into his food immediately, because he felt like he hadn't eaten in forever, and he was halfway through his sandwich when he realized what he was watching. Keiko dragged him to enough chick-flicks for him to be able to recognize them.

"Why are you watching this?" Botan giggled instead of telling him not to talk with his mouth full, she'd given up on that argument except for when they were having "proper dinners" with guests, and her pink eyes were literally sparkling when she looked over at him. It was a little scary.

"Because it's Valentine's Day, silly!" Yusuke felt lightheaded for a second, mostly because Botan still had that manic look on her face, and he swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"Oh." The word came out sounding strangled, which just made Botan laugh and smack his chest with her knuckles.

"You look like you've seen a ghost! Do you hate these movies that much? Because I think there's some kind of action movie marathon on a different channel. I just remember seeing things blow up. Boom!" Botan mimed an explosion with her hands, since her plate was in her lap, and Yusuke felt his head tilting to the side in confusion.

"Isn't today the day when girls go crazy and demand that all things be sweet and romantic? Are we having dinner in the shape of something heart-shaped?" Botan's eyebrows drew down as she glared at him, but she only held the look for a few seconds before laughing again.

"Oh, Yusuke, only couples do stuff like that! Well, some of them do, I suppose. Grim reapers don't really have time for dating, you know. I just think these movies are sweet, but we can watch something else if they offend your delicate sensibilities." She lightly patted his shoulder, like he needed to be comforted, and he snorted before taking another large bite of his sandwich.

"I ain't scared of some movie! We're watching it." Botan just laughed some more, but she didn't change the channel.

Several hours, four movies, and one normal dinner later they were still on the couch and watching movies that were playing just because it was Valentine's Day. This one was in black-and-white, and Yusuke's blinks kept getting longer and longer as the movie played on. After a blink that lasted until a whole new scene, he looked over to see Botan slumped against his shoulder. Blue hair was fanned across his chest, and soft breaths kept tickling the side of his neck. Probably what woke him up. Her eyes were closed and she was curled up against his side, so Yusuke carefully moved his arm around her shoulders and held her a little more securely. Botan mumbled sleepily, something about bowties and penguins, but she didn't wake up. Yusuke leaned his head back against the couch, tried to watch the movie, and promptly fell asleep.

 **March 9, 1998**

"Are you sure about this, Kokou?" Reigan asked even as the other demon leaned back against her. Yellow eyes narrowed on her as Kokou bared her teeth, which was enough of an answer, and Kokou growled as Reigan smiled at her.

"How the fuck did you survive this? Twice?" the woman growled out.

"A lot of screaming, mostly. It's gonna be worth it, Kokou, I promise." Kokou let a sound between a roar and a yowl, loud enough to make Reigan's ears ring, and she gently squeezed the lioness's shoulders. Reigan was sitting at the head of the bed, thighs spread on either side of Kokou's body, so that the Queen could rest back against her torso. Kokou's head was currently rolling across her shoulder, and her hands were clenched on Reigan's raised knees.

"You're doing perfectly, my darling!" Enki called. After the first hour, Kokou commanded her mate to stand out of her swinging range. It was a wise order, so Enki was standing behind the healer that was between Kokou's thighs.

"I am not perfect, you ass! I'm being ripped apart!" Kokou screamed. She scrambled to find something to throw at him, but there was nothing in reach. Well, she could've thrown Reigan, but Reigan was the only thing holding her up at the moment.

"One more push, my lady," the healer said quietly. Reigan raised up, forcing Kokou to lift up a little more as well, and tightened the hold on her shoulders.

"You heard her, Kokou. One more push and this is all over," Reigan whispered. Kokou screamed as her hands squeezed Reigan's knees, and Reigan grunted as she felt the bones splinter under the pressure. Time seemed to stretch as Kokou screamed while breaking Reigan's kneecaps, until Kokou sagged back with a loud sigh. A moment later, a high-pitched crying filled the room.

"Is that…Did I do that, Rei?" Kokou whispered against her neck. Reigan smiled as she brushed sweaty lime green hair away from Kokou's face, and she could see Enki crying steadily as the baby was quickly checked over and cleaned.

"Yeah, Kokou, you did that," Reigan whispered back. Kokou closed her eyes, like she was gathering strength, but her eyes flew open as footsteps came closer to her. Reigan saw her looking up at the healer, and the small demon smiled as she held the covered bundle out. Reigan would never tell anyone, but Kokou's arms shook as she reached for her child.

"Congratulations, my Queen. You have a daughter," the healer said and stepped away. Reigan looked over Kokou's shoulder at the small baby, and a pair of bright yellow eyes were looking up at her mother. Kokou made a quiet sound in her throat as she laid one hand on the baby's wrapped torso, and then she looked at the foot of the bed.

"Get over here, you big oaf, and meet our daughter." Enki was at Kokou's side in one step, and he had to lean over so far that he was nearly bent horizontal so that he could get an up close look at his little girl.

"She's perfect," Enki whispered and wiggled a large hand in front of the child. She made a quiet sound and tried to reach for him, and Kokou sighed. It definitely sounded fond to Reigan.

"Congratulations, old friend," Reigan whispered. She was trapped between the head of the bed and Kokou's body, but she was reluctant to disturb Kokou and slip away. Her knees also needed another minute or so to finish healing.

"Where's my congratulations? I'm the one that just gave birth," Kokou said and glanced over at her. It only lasted for a second, and then she was looking back at the baby in her arms. Kokou ran a steady finger over the brown fuzz on the baby's head, Enki's hair coloring, and the baby even smelled like a goat demon. Like her father. Those eyes are all Kokou though.

"Congratulations, friend," Reigan said just as quietly. Kokou hummed but didn't reply to her, and all three of them just continued to look down at the newborn.

"I want to name her Takara," Kokou said after a moment. The backs of her fingers traced over the child's cheeks, and Reigan could see that Enki was crying again.

"Takara is a beautiful name," Enki quietly agreed. Reigan made her goodbyes then, so that the new family could enjoy some time to themselves, and she laughed once she was standing outside. Takara. She's going to be a beautiful addition to the family.

 **April 3, 1998**

" _Takara won't be the last." The voice wasn't one that Kurama recognized, but he didn't bother to look around for the owner of the voice. He's dreaming, and it's dark in his dream. Pitch black._

" _The last for our King and Queen?" he asked. The darkness was slowly becoming less dense; he's standing in a cave. Not a cave that he recognizes. He may be asleep, but this is not one of his dreams._

" _For them? Who knows? She won't be the last new addition to Demon World's ever growing family." A shape was taking form across from him; shorter than him, possibly the same height as Reigan, but slimmer._

" _I don't think anyone else is currently expecting a child." A flash of blue, pale…more solid. An eye._

" _Maybe not yet, but there's still plenty of time. Besides, children are a blessing." A face was slowly starting to appear. Pale blue eye, pale skin, short silver hair. A blackness over her left eye. He knows who this is._

" _Shikaku." Thin pale lips smiled at him, but he couldn't see anything lower than her pale throat. Only more darkness._

" _I was hoping you'd remember me." Her voice sounded amused and quiet, like she couldn't speak above a whisper._

" _Why are you speaking to me and not to Reigan?" The eye that he could see looked away, past him and to something that he couldn't see, but she focused on him soon enough._

" _She's worried about me, and she should be. I'm in the worst kind of place, but I won't be here forever. Still, it gets lonely. I wanted to see a pretty face." The worst kind of place…that could mean anything. Reigan knows Shikaku personally, so she might know where the raven demon is referencing. "Ah, ah, ah. I can see that brain of yours working, and I'm asking you not to tell Reigan about this."_

" _Don't you want her help?" he asked her. He could see the slopes of her shoulders now, completely bare, but there was still only darkness below her collarbones._

" _No one can help me. I'd know." She tapped the side of her head after saying it, and Kurama nodded once to show that he understood. "That thing Reigan asked you to make for me? Keep it on you at all times. Some days you'll think that you won't need it, but don't take that chance. I can't see the exact day I'll need it, so you need to stay prepared. I'll be damned if I'm going to survive all of this just to die because you forgot to pick up a vial one day."_

" _I'll keep it with me," he promised. She smiled at him again, and her silver hair seemed to wave around her face. As if by wind._

" _I always knew you were a smart one. Remember, don't tell Reigan that we talked."_

" _I won't." Her whole form shimmered, like he was seeing her through water, but he was still able to see the grimace of pain on her face before her form became solid again._

" _It was really nice to see you. Before, I couldn't see what you'd look like. I just knew you'd be different. This look, it suits you."_

" _I still don't—"_

" _Goodbye, Kurama."_

Kurama awoke alone in his room, just as the sun was starting to show between his curtains, and he quickly went over everything he just learned. Which wasn't much, but it had to mean something. Why else would Shikaku reveal herself to him? He continued to go over their brief conversation as he prepared for the day, and he attached the vial with Shikaku's antidote to a chain that he placed around his neck. He'll keep it on him, at all times, until Shikaku needs it.

"Yo, Kurama! You ready to go?!" Kuwabara yelled while knocking on his door. They've all been staying at Yomi's palace in Gandara, because Yomi is hosting the Demon World Tournament again, and today is the start of the tournament. It's time to see who will rule Demon World once and for all.

* * *

 **Ending Note:** As you can probably tell, I tried to work in a little bit of everything in this chapter. So while I think of it as the training chapter, I didn't really write that much training. Oops. Just know that everyone is training in preparation for the tournament, so I'll more than likely write out a few of the matches in detail in the next chapter.

Which reminds me, if there's any particular match-up you want to see in the tournament, let me know! Is there someone that you want to see Reigan fight? Or Hiei? Or Yusuke? I already know who's going to win, but I'm still not set on any of the smaller fights so any suggestions would be great!

I'm pretty excited about writing the next chapter, Tournament chapters are always fun, so I'm hoping to have another update soon! After the Tournament chapter, I'm going to work on **Enough** again. So while you're waiting for an update on this story, you should go read it! Yes, it's a Yusuke/Koto story, but it's been a lot of fun to write so I'd be super excited to see some love for it. Especially since it'll be ending soon.

 **shirohara:** My holidays were good! I just got busy after the holidays. I hope the New Year has been treating you well! I really enjoy writing the action scenes too, despite the lack of fighting in this chapter, so the tournament chapter will most definitely have some fun fight scenes in it. Thank you for the review!

 **backoff22:** I did decide to split them up, even though there wasn't much training description in this chapter. I promise, the tournament chapter will have plenty of fighting in it. (Also, I promise to get caught up on your story very soon! I miss reading about little Kohana.) Thank you for the review!

 **Aelthya:** It's been a little while since I've updated, so I'm hoping that's it above -10 in your apartment! Move down South; it's like living next door to Hell here. I'm so glad you like Reigan and Hiei's relationship! Sometimes I worry that I'm messing up Hiei's character, but I feel like it's a natural progression. Haha, don't feel bad, I'm like Botan on Christmas too. My birthday is Christmas Eve, so my excitement levels are a bit much. I'm sorry that people throw things at you! Want me to come beat them up? (Wait, I don't like confrontation. We'll get Hiei and Yusuke to beat them up!) I love Kokou so much. She will forever be my Queen, even though I've made her a little mean in this story. Writing all of the interactions are so much fun! The characters are just so…I just love them so much. And no, I'm not crying. It's totally allergies. (I'm going to try to get caught up on WN soon! I need to know that my Aria is okay. lol.) Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** As much as I love writing the ensemble scenes, it's really fun to write the one-on-one moments too. I'm still getting used to writing for Botan and Yusuke, so I'm glad you liked it! I promise to try to keep all the relationships as true to character as possible. The four of them might not have started it all, but they're the core of the series so I wanted them all together. (I'm so behind on so many of your stories, but I will get caught up! I promise! Because I miss reading your awesome writing.) Thank you for the review!

 **Nevermorea:** I kind of did what you suggested? I meant to write training, but I think I wrote "slice of life" scenes instead. I'll try to remember to carefully write out the fight scenes in the next chapter though. Honestly, I get confused when I read fight scenes so I'll try to make it fun and not too all over the place. Thank you for the review!

 **Shadowed Replica:** I'm so glad you've enjoyed the fic! I like Hiei stoic too, it's how he became my favorite to start with, but I feel like he'd change in the years after the end of the anime. He has people that he trusts now, friends, and he even has his sister. He'll never be super fluffy though, if that's what you're worried about. Unless I write a scene with him super drunk. I'll have to think on that. Hmm, if they do decide to mate, that sounds reasonable. I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not exactly good at writing detailed sex scenes though. lol. If you know anyone that is and doesn't mind lending a hand, let me know! And thank you for the review!

 **Synder Draconis:** Ah, LWIYF. That story will always be my baby, so I'm glad you enjoyed it! I've been trying to use this story to learn from my mistakes while writing my first Hiei story though, so it makes me happy to know that you're still reading! I know this chapter was lacking in action, but there'll be plenty of fighting in the next chapter. Thank you for the review!

 **Toreh:** The family building is a lot of fun to write, and so many of them need family stability. Reigan and Kuwabara really haven't had any time together, have they? I'll have to change that, so thank you for the suggestion! I'm hoping to have the next chapter out soon, so hopefully the wait for an update won't be too long. Thank you for the review!


	23. A Confession To Make

**Author's Note:** I can't apologize enough for disappearing for so long; I'll explain in the Ending Note, because I'm sure you're anxious to read the chapter! So, who do you think is going to rule over all of Demon World?

[Quick note! Kokou had Takara on March 9, and the last chapter ended with Kurama on April 3 which is when the Tournament starts. This chapter starts on March 28, so it's going back a couple of weeks and then will skip to the Tournament.]

 **Post Date:** 13 July 2017

 **Word Count:** 6200

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Three  
** **A Confession To Make**

 **March 28, 1998**

"I'm proud of you, bro." People all around Kuwabara were cheering loudly, but he could still hear his sister's low voice as she hugged him.

"It's about damn time!" Yusuke slapped the back of his shoulder hard enough to rock his body forward, and Kuwabara turned around to put his cousin in a headlock. Yusuke fought back, as expected, but they both broke it off before they could accidentally hurt someone around them. Kuwabara held still as his friends congratulated him, one by one, until only two were left.

"Just like we practiced," Ma whispered and elbowed Hiei in the ribs. The hit looked like it hurt, but Hiei just ground his teeth together and took a step closer to Kuwabara. He crossed his arms as he waited, and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop from laughing when Hiei noticeably rolled his eyes.

"Congratulations," Hiei ground out after another moment. Things have definitely changed over the years, and Kuwabara can easily call Hiei a friend. Even though the little guy has to be forced to say anything nice or positive to him. Kuwabara could have antagonized him for the half-hearted praise, but he knows that Hiei is happy for him. In his own way. That, and today is Kuwabara's day. He's not going to spend it arguing with Hiei.

"Good job! I'll see you back at the house, okay?" Ma had one hand on Hiei's shoulder, and Hiei lightly gripped her wrist just above the prayer beads before grunting and disappearing. When his ma stepped closer to him, Kuwabara squared his shoulders and smiled down at her. Her face stretched as she smiled, wide enough to show the tips of her fangs even, and she leapt into the air so that she could lock her arms around his neck. "Congratulations, Kazuma!"

"It was nothing, Ma," he said as he held her off the ground. He gently eased her back down, and her small hands kept a tight grip on his upper arms.

"Nonsense. Even after everything you endured as a teenager, you still got into a great university _and_ you graduated with honors. You are an amazing man, Kazuma, and I am proud to call you my son." His ma said it all with a bright smile, but her eyes were completely serious. So Kuwabara leaned down to hug her again before they both started crying.

"We're heading back home, Mother. Don't keep him out too late, okay?" Kuwabara felt confused as Shizuru's arm tightened around his shoulders, and he only grumbled a little bit as she smacked a kiss against his cheek.

"We'll be back at a reasonable time, I promise," Ma said as Shizuru leaned down to kiss her cheek too. Within minutes, the area around Kuwabara was empty. It was just him and Ma, and he tilted his head as he looked down at her. She raised a brow at his curious look and then turned to lace her arm through his. "What? I wanted some one-on-one time with my son. We'll continue the graduation party later, back home. If that's okay?"

"Yeah, Ma, that's okay. Where are we going?" She was pulling him through the crowd of people still congratulating the other graduates, and he felt like laughing at the way she easily pushed people aside even though she was much shorter than most of them. One-on-one time with his Ma…it sounded good to him. They've had some times to just themselves over the past couple of years, but there's normally a crowd when she comes to visit. Which is totally okay! He likes seeing Shizuru and his other friends, but it's nice to just spend time with his ma too.

"Where we're going is a surprise, but it'll be a bit before we get there. So! Tell me what comes next?"

His ma led him to a cab, and he didn't recognize the address that she gave the driver. He didn't worry about it though, because he trusts his ma and everything. Instead he told her about the next step of his education, which was going to a veterinarian school. She already knew that he'd been accepted to a school in the city, so he wouldn't have to move farther away, and she kept smiling the entire time. Told him how proud she was. She even bragged to the cab driver that her son was going to be a doctor, and Kuwabara was too busy hiding his laugh in a fist at the driver's confused look when Ma said _son_ to correct her.

When they finally reached their destination, Ma popped out of the back of the cab and immediately started stretching her legs. Kuwabara did the same, because legs as long as his never do well in the back of cars, and he looked around the area. There was one old building in front of them, with a few cars parked outside, but he couldn't see a sign or any other clue. He didn't look away from the building until his ma stepped up beside him, and she had to tip her head back to grin up at him. Before he could ask where they were, she grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. The space was dark after the door closed behind them, but he was still able to see enough to tell that they were inside a bar.

"Celebratory drink?" he asked as she pulled him to the far end of the bar. She sat on a stool that creaked under her weight, so Kuwabara carefully eased down onto the stool next to her.

"Something like that," she said as she waved the bartender over. She ordered the drinks for them, and she was smiling when she looked over at him to pass him his glass. A look passed over her face, something sad, and she reached over to grab his hand.

"Ma?" She looked like she might cry, but she took a deep breath and smiled again instead.

"I know it doesn't look like much, but this is where I met your father. I was sitting right here, with my drink, and he was sitting over that way celebrating his birthday with old friends." She pointed into the main part of the bar behind them, where tables were set up and empty.

"What happened?" Ma told him the story of how they first met, about the bar fight between human psychics and demons, and she laughed as she talked about how his father followed after her so that he could hear the end of her story.

"I'll always love your father. He was such a good man, and you take after him so much. He'd be proud of you too, Kazuma," Ma said and squeezed his hand. He was already holding her hand too tight, but he couldn't let go. He grew up without parents, but he has a mother now. He missed out on meeting his father, but he's made peace with that. Still, it's nice to hear about him.

"Thanks for this, Ma." The bartender gave them a look, probably because he and his ma look the same age, but Kuwabara ignored him.

"There's one other thing I want you to know too."

"Yeah?" he asked when it looked like she wasn't going to continue. She shifted her fingers so that they were laced through his, and she placed her other hand on his forearm.

"The day will come when I go back to Tourin, but I'm not returning without you or your sister. Not until you're both ready to come with me. I'll never leave you again, Kazuma. I promise." His ma's dark eyes were starting to cloud over with tears, so Kuwabara did the only thing he could think of. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him.

"A seer thing?" A part of him was always a little worried that they'd all go back to Demon World while he was in school. His ma spent most of her very long life in Demon World, and Yusuke is an actual ruler of a part of Demon World. He knows they're going to go back, eventually, and he doesn't want to be left behind.

"A mother thing." He was still hugging her close to him, but it doesn't sound like she's crying anymore. That's good. He's never liked seeing women cry. And seeing his ma cry? Definitely not good. She pulled back so that she could look up at him, and she reached up to pat down some of his hair. If his ma says that she isn't going to leave this world until he's ready, then he believes her.

"I love ya, Ma." Her eyes cleared up as she smiled, and she laid a hand against his cheek.

"I love you too, Kazuma." They took a moment to just _be_ and then his ma slapped a hand against the bar. "Now! How about another drink? I think it's time to celebrate my boy's genius brain!"

 **April 3, 1998**

"My Queen! You're looking lovely!" Reigan laughed as she ducked the fist aimed at her head, and she was impressed that Kokou could aim a punch without jostling the baby cradled in her other arm.

"Don't you have family members to torment with your presence?" Reigan sidled back over to where Kokou was standing and looked down at the little girl in her arms. Warm bright golden eyes stared up at her, and Reigan dangled her fingers over the baby and watched as the little girl tried to grab them.

"They're catching up with old friends. Where's Enki?" Takara grabbed her pinky finger, in a pretty tight grip, and then started to shake her little fist.

"Last minute paperwork," Kokou huffed.

"How's motherhood?" Kokou groaned, which just made Reigan laugh, but Reigan wasn't fooled. Kokou might look a little more tired than usual, but she looked happier too. A little more at peace.

"Are you ready to get out there and fight again?" It has been a while since Reigan had to truly fight, but she feels prepared enough. Hokushin saw to that.

"Oh, I'm ready."

"PARTICIPANTS! GET READY TO DRAW YOUR NUMBERS!" Koto's voice echoed throughout the arena, and Reigan could hear excited voices getting ready for the tournament to officially begin.

"Looks like it's finally time. I'll see you after it's done," Reigan said and cooed down at Takara before stepping away. She was almost to the doorway of the viewing room that Kokou was in when the lion demon called her name, and she stopped to look over her shoulder.

"I'm holding you to that. You promised to babysit." Reigan was still laughing as she joined the mass of demons heading towards the drawing, and she lightly shook her arms. It's been a long time since she really had to fight, but she's looking forward to this. It should be fun.

 **QUARTER FINALS**

"Alright, everyone! The fights for the quarter finals have officially started, so let's see how everyone is doing!" Koto's voice echoed around the arena, and Botan shifted nervously on her feet.

"You okay, Blue?" Shizuru was standing next to her, and they were the only two people in this viewing room. Kurama and Kuwabara were downstairs in a different viewing room with Jin and Touya, and Botan was almost tempted to go join them. They could probably help distract her from all the fighting.

"I know this is nothing like the Dark Tournament, but I can't help thinking about it." The Dark Tournament had been brutal, and she'd been sure that her friends weren't going to make it. Shizuru hummed next to her and tapped a finger against the glass wall in front of them.

"No one is going to die in this tournament," Shizuru said with confidence that Botan didn't feel.

"In Group A, it looks like Chu and Kujou are in a stand-off! Stop standing around and fight already!" Koto called out.

"I worry about her," Botan said quietly. She thinks of Koto as a friend, as well as Juri and Ruka, but she'll never understand Koto's love of violence.

"In Group B, Reigan and Mukuro are blurs as they fight it out! Show the boys how it's done, ladies!" Koto cheered.

"Kick her ass, Mother!" Shizuru yelled and then grinned over at Botan. Botan does love a good cheer…and cheering never hurt anyone.

"Go, Rei!"

"In Group C, Yusuke and Yomi are trading words and blows! Less talking, more fighting!" Koto huffed when Yusuke paused to grin at the camera while still dodging blasts of energy from Yomi.

"So, do I cheer for my cousin or my close friend?" Shizuru mused aloud.

"Both?" Botan suggested. In the end, they compromised. Botan cheered for Yusuke while Shizuru cheered for Yomi, until the screens changed again.

"In Group D, Hiei is squaring off against Reo! It looks like a close one too, so keep an eye on them!" Koto directed. The demon Hiei was fighting was covered from head to toe, so it was impossible to tell anything about Hiei's opponent. Except that he was tall and lean.

"Oh! We have to cheer for Hiei!"

"Yeah, since he's practically family." Botan blushed a little as she cheered, which just made Shizuru laugh as she cheered along as well.

The quarter finals lasted for a little over two hours, longer than the other rounds combined, until winners were finally declared. Botan bounced in place as the next match-ups were decided, and she wasn't sure if the match-ups were good or not. She was sure it was going to be interesting though.

 **SEMI FINALS**

"Reigan seems nearly unable to stand," Kurama said from his place in front of the large window. Hiei grunted but didn't answer, and he held still so that the small demon twitching around him could finish wrapping the bandage around the large gash on his side.

"She fought Souketsu before Mukuro. I am amazed that she is still standing at all," Touya said quietly. Hiei brushed the small demon away and carefully got to his feet, and he stood next to Kurama so that he could see the large screen showing the fights.

Reigan was wearing a skintight shirt with missing sleeves and very short shorts, and Hiei could easily see the blood streaked across her skin. The worst of her injuries came from fighting against Mukuro, but it was clear that Souketsu did some damage as well. Now she was facing off against Chu, who was light on his feet as he moved around her in circles. Reigan was still able to land hits against him, but she was growing tired.

"She is stronger than others give her credit for," Hiei stated as he crossed his arms. He's heard others say that she's weak, but she's still an S-Class demon.

"She only ever appeared weak next to Raizen's strength." Kurama glanced over at Hiei before returning his attention back to the fight, and Hiei thought it over. Raizen's strength was legendary; Yusuke couldn't even defeat Raizen in his weakened state, and the older demons knew Raizen in his prime. Maybe Reigan did seem weak next to her brother, but that does not make her weak.

"It looks like Lady Tourin is down for the count! She's flat on her back, but what's that I hear?!" The camera zoomed in closer to show Reigan lying in the dirt, half her face was covered with blood, with laughter causing her entire body to shake. Chu was standing next to her with his hands braced against his knees, laughing along with her.

"Laughter! Now that's an unusual way to end a fight! Let's see if the other fighters are laughing as well!"

The screen changed to the second fight, and Hiei tensed as he watched Yusuke fight against the demon that was able to defeat him. Reo was tall, around six-five, and completely covered up. His entire body, from head to toe, was hidden from sight. That wasn't what put Hiei on edge. The demon wasn't giving away any energy signatures. Reo had to be an S-Class demon to stand against Hiei and then Yusuke, but his energy level couldn't be detected. The giant axe he fought with was devoid of energy as well, and Hiei knew from firsthand experience how deep the blade could cut.

"What can you tell us about Reo?" Kurama asked him. Hiei could feel the others looking at him, but he ignored them as he continued to watch the fight. Yusuke was starting to struggle. He'd already defeated Natsume, Shu, and Yomi.

"He's strong," was Hiei's only answer.

"What's this?! Is Tourin's king about to be defeated?! Come on, Urameshi! Give us some blood!" It looked like Yusuke was yelling, at Koto, as another punch connected with Reo's covered face.

"I'm going to see Reigan." Kurama looked at him and then nodded in acknowledgement, and Hiei left the room. He was almost to the medical wing when he heard laughter, and he stopped in the doorway to observe. Reigan was sitting in a hospital bed, cleaned of blood, and laughing as she talked to Kuwabara and Shizuru.

"Can't believe you let that lush beat ya, Ma," Kuwabara said as Reigan used his arm to pull herself out of bed.

"That lush is stronger than he looks, and Mukuro thoroughly kicked my ass before I ever faced Chu. I think I did okay though. Not bad for an old lady, huh?" Reigan asked.

"Not bad at all, Mother, but you could have done better," Shizuru said and moved a bloody piece of hair off of Reigan's cheek.

"Well, I guess I'm still a little rusty. Maybe next ti—Hiei!" Her children were still holding her up, but her eyes were focused on him for the moment.

"I wanted to make sure you didn't receive any additional brain damage." Shizuru and Kuwabara started laughing, and Reigan grinned as she walked towards him on her own.

"Aw, I knew you cared." He held still as Reigan's arms wound around his shoulders, and he lightly held her hips as her nose nuzzled against the side of his neck. She pulled back after only a moment, but she reached down to lace her fingers through his. Hiei considered pulling away, but he doesn't want to fight Reigan. He's fought enough for today.

"And Yusuke goes down! It looks like the next match will be Chu versus Reo!"

"Can't believe Yusuke got beat," Kuwabara said quietly.

"It looks like either Chu or some unknown demon will fight Enki tomorrow," Reigan said and raised a brow where only he could see.

" _Do you know anything about this Reo demon? Should we be worried?"_ He could clearly hear Reigan, even as she spoke aloud to Shizuru and Kuwabara about being nice to their cousin.

" _Unknown. We'll wait and see."_ Reigan lightly squeezed his hand, her way of telling him that she heard him, and she was smiling as she pulled him out of the room.

"Let's go check on Yusuke!" she called over her shoulder. Maybe Yusuke will have some information on the unknown demon.

 **FINALS**

" _You don't give up easily, do you, kid?" The large blade of that damned axe was trapped between Yusuke's hands, and his arms were straining to hold the blade away from his face. He can't see the guy he's fighting, which is a little annoying, but the dude sounds amused. That's rarely a good thing._

" _I don't give up at all." Yusuke used a burst of strength to push the axe, and the demon wielding it, away from him. He shook out his arms before moving back into his fighting stance, and Reo laughed with his head thrown back and that giant axe resting over one shoulder._

" _You really are Raizen's brat. Fighting you's been an honor." He raised his arms as Reo charged again, and the rest of the fight was a blur. Damn Yomi and all those kicks to his head! Focusing was getting harder and harder, but Reo barely sounded winded._

"Chu's down." Yusuke snapped out of his little flashback and looked down at the top of Auntie Rei's head. She was leaning back against Hiei, and it looked like Hiei was the only thing holding her up. Kuwabara was on her other side, and Shizuru left to go look in on Yomi. Yusuke was sure that there were others in the room when he first came in, but they're gone now. It's just him, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Auntie Rei.

"Can your sight thing or whatever tell anything about Reo? You know, like, is he some kind of uber villain?" Auntie Rei snorted quietly, and Yusuke realized that Kuwabara and Hiei were both looking at him. "What?! Don't give me that look! Our track record isn't that great."

"But you've always won," Auntie Rei pointed out.

"Yeah, we won because someone else caused a fight. So, villain?"

"I can't see anything about him. Kazuma?"

"I got nothing."

"Hiei?" Instead of answering her, Hiei just shook his head. Auntie Rei must have been able to feel it, because she didn't ask Hiei again.

"Wait a moment, folks! Reo has something that he wants to say!" The camera panned back to the arena that Reo was in, but Chu was gone. Reo was talking to the demon operating the flying camera, and she quickly nodded her head.

"He wants to know if he can fight Enki now instead of waiting until tomorrow! He says he's ready!" the little demon called out.

"We'll take a small recess, and I'll find out!" Koto declared before the screen went black.

"Well, he certainly seems eager," Auntie Rei said quietly.

"I can't tell if this is good news or bad news." Yusuke jumped, just a little, at the sound of the new voice. Botan walked up to his other side, and Auntie Rei leaned up a little so that she could look around his body to meet Botan's eyes.

"It all depends on who Reo really is. I've never heard of him, but he has to be strong." Reo beat him and Hiei, so the guy is definitely strong.

"How are you holding up, Yusuke?" Botan asked him quietly. He could hear Kuwabara and Auntie Rei talking on his other side, with an occasional grunt or one-word answer from Hiei, so Yusuke focused on Botan.

"My ears are still ringing, but I feel okay," he shrugged. He hissed when Botan poked a large bruise on his arm, which just made her laugh and try to poke another one.

Yusuke lost track of time after that, probably because he had the demon equivalent of a concussion, but he tried to pay attention to what the people around him were saying. A few others joined them and then left, but it sounded like everyone was worried about who Reo was. No one had ever heard of him, and not being able to see what he looked like made it really hard to identify him. Eventually though, the room emptied some. Botan was still standing on one side of him, and Auntie Rei and Hiei were on his other side. Kuwabara was standing next to them, and the five of them listened as the speakers crackled.

"And the decision is…FIGHT! The final fight, between Reo and Enki, will take place right now! Stay in your seats! You won't want to miss this!"

 **FINAL FIGHT**

"I can't believe he's really pushing Enki back," Yusuke said as the last fight continued. Normally Reigan would laugh at how her nephew was so close to the glass that his nose was pushed against it, but now isn't the appropriate time. The outcome of this fight is important, it'll affect all three worlds, so she's keeping her focus on the fight. It doesn't mean she isn't still tuned into what's happening in the viewing room. Botan gasps quietly every time Enki takes another hit, Yusuke and Kuwabara keep muttering praise and criticisms, and Hiei is a tense line along her back.

" _Lady Tourin? I thought you were dead. Just where have you been hiding?"_ Reigan felt Hiei's fingers tightening against her hips, which means that he heard that too.

" _I thought you were dead, so where have you been hiding?"_ A laugh echoed in her mind, one that was both half-forgotten and still familiar, and Reigan leaned more heavily back against Hiei.

" _Oh, you know how it is. Us ancient demons take the longest naps, except for you and your brother. Your timeout only lasted twenty years, and Raizen was too stubborn to ever rest. Tell me, Lady Tourin, why are the Mazoku so damned stubborn?"_

" _Have you been spying on me?"_ Another laugh, louder this time, made Reigan wince as her temples throbbed.

" _You've let yourself get lazy, old friend. What did I tell you?"_

" _To keep my mind sharp, and it is. Being sealed just drained me a little. Why are you speaking to me now?"_ It's been so many centuries since she heard this voice, so why now?

" _Because we'll be seeing each other very soon. Make sure you cheer for your new King."_ Reigan felt the connection close, and Hiei was so tense that he was nearly vibrating.

"Don't worry, that was a friend," Reigan whispered over her shoulder. Hiei's eyes were dark, but he didn't question her. Not yet, at least. She could tell that he had plenty of questions for her, and she'd answer them. Later. Right now, she wants to hear Koto's announcement.

"The dust is starting to clear! And it looks like the winner is…REO!"

 **.xXx.**

"Well, we either have a new ally or someone out to destroy us all. Thoughts?" Yusuke felt his brows drawing down as he looked over at Botan, and she raised a brow as she looked up at him. She reached up to poke between his furrowed brows, and he swatted her hand away from his face.

"They're bringing him back now, so we'll find out soon enough," Auntie Rei said quietly.

"I'm not feeling any bad vibes," Kuwabara muttered.

"It looks as if your idea has failed, Yomi." Yusuke looked away from Botan, who was still swatting at him for being so rude, to the doorway. Yomi was walking next to Shizuru, but it was Mukuro that had spoken. Souketsu was standing just behind her, and it looked like they were holding each other up. Looks like Auntie Rei really did a number on them.

"Yomi thought you might be able to see something, Mother," Shizuru said.

"What about you, Hiei? Can the Jagan tell us anything about this Reo?" Mukuro asked.

"He's shielded," was Hiei's quick answer. Huh. He sounds even more annoyed than usual.

"Oh! Koto's about to talk to him!" Botan yelled. Slim fingers gripped Yusuke's chin and pulled his face back towards the glass wall, so he could see the giant screen. Koto was standing next to Reo on a platform, and the masked demon towered over her.

"I have a confession to make," Reo started.

"Uber villain," Yusuke drawled out in a whisper. Botan and Auntie Rei elbowed him in the ribs, but he's not taking it back.

"And, uh, what kind of confession is that?" Koto asked with a nervous smile. She really shouldn't be down there by herself. Yeah, Koto's a little weird and loves violence a little too much, but she shouldn't be standing next to the potential uber villain.

"My name isn't Reo, because I didn't want to reveal myself unless I had to." While he talked, the masked demon reached up towards his face. It only took one tug to remove the cloth covering his head, and the first thing Yusuke noticed was spiky bright orange hair.

"So, who are you?" Koto asked. The demon looked human, except for his height maybe. Yusuke couldn't see any horns or scales. Next to him, Auntie Rei swayed a little on her feet so that she bumped against his side.

"You okay?" he asked her. She was looking at the screen, and her eyes were so wide that he could see the white all the way around the dark blue of her eyes.

"It's…but how…why…It's him! They're really here!" Even though she was still visibly injured, Auntie Rei spun away from Hiei's hold and dashed out of the room. Everyone turned to look at the doorway, but she was long gone.

"My name is Dionysus, and I would like to meet the Lords of Demon World."

"Why do I know that name?" Yusuke asked and looked over at Kuwabara.

"Dionysus is a Greek God," Kuwabara said but he looked just as confused as Yusuke felt.

"Dionysus is a bull demon that stayed in Human World long enough to become a Greek God, and he's an old friend. A very old friend," Souketsu said.

"Older than us," Mukuro added.

"If he is a friend, we should go greet him," Yomi said.

"And track down my mother while we're at it," Shizuru said and started walking.

 **.xXx.**

"Reigan! Should you be running with that many open wounds?" At Koto's question, Reigan looked down at her body. The cuts on her arms and legs had reopened, but she feels alright considering. So she just shrugged and then tipped her head back. Warm brown eyes met hers, and she pushed some strength into her legs so that she could leap into the air.

"Dionysus! What are you doing here?!" The lean bull demon is nearly a foot and a half taller than her, and he easily held her off the ground as he started to spin. After enough turns to make her a little dizzy, he placed her back on her feet and then bent at the waist to meet her eyes.

"A little bird told me I had to enter, and you know I never argue with her."

"So, you two know each other?" Koto asked. Reigan had completely forgotten the woman's presence, and she blinked before looking away from Dionysus.

"Yeah, we know each other. Is she here?" Reigan asked.

"Waiting for us in the meeting room. I can't believe your nephew is a Lord. Raizen with a kid…I never saw that coming." Reigan waved goodbye to Koto before hooking her arm through Dionysus's, and she started leading him through the arena.

"Just like I never imagined you winning a tournament," she said as they started up some stairs.

"I'm strong," he huffed as he followed up after her.

"True, but you also…what was it? You avoid confrontation." The demons that were still around were looking at Dionysus curiously as they continued to walk, and Reigan didn't blame them. Dionysus, along with several other demons, made quite the names for themselves in the Human World. They're also legends in this world.

"There are better ways to release tension. Fighting is barbaric." She could feel the others gathered together somewhere up ahead, and she smiled as she looked up at her old friend.

"Says the demon who just won the Demon World Tournament. You do realize, as king, that you might have to fight at some point?" When she looked up at him, Dionysus rolled his eyes and then slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Why should I fight when I can just command others, like yourself, to fight for me?" Reigan was still laughing when they walked into the meeting room, but she managed to pull herself together.

"Why did the Fates choose you as a champion? The laziest of all?" Because of all the people packed into the room, Reigan couldn't see who had spoken. Not that she needed to see. She knows that voice, and she's not that surprised that she's here too.

"Athena." Yomi and Mukuro both stepped to the side, and Reigan watched as Athena moved past them. She didn't stop until she was standing in front of Reigan and Dionysus, and Reigan only had to tip her head back a little to meet Athena's eyes. The owl demon is only five-five, an entire foot shorter than Dionysus, but her presence makes her look taller. Or that could possibly be the heeled boots.

"Reigan." Despite the passing centuries, Athena looks completely unchanged. Long fiery red hair, bright red eyes, strong tan arms on display, and a smile full of too much knowledge. She could hear movement in the room, but she couldn't look away from Athena's eyes.

"Can someone explain what the hell is going on?!" Yusuke yelled out. Athena broke first and started laughing, and Reigan laughed along with her as the other woman's arms circled around her neck and pulled her away from Dionysus. When Athena pulled back, she moved to stand on Dionysus's other side.

"Athena and Dionysus are old friends, but they disappeared centuries ago. Around 600BC, right?" Reigan asked. Sharp pressure pushed against her mind, but she grit her teeth together and kept a smile on her face.

"We slept for a very long time. We've only been awake for about a thousand years, but we stayed in the Human World. This is the first time we've been back in the Demon World since 600BC," Athena explained.

"Why now?" Reigan asked.

"And why couldn't you have just stayed gone?" Mukuro asked. Athena whistled a little at the question and then walked over to where Mukuro was standing.

"I've missed you as well, old friend. It's nice to finally see your face," Athena said quietly.

"You're still an annoyance," Mukuro huffed. Those two always did have a strange sort of relationship; it wasn't quite friendship, Mukuro wouldn't allow that back then, but it was built on mutual respect.

"Of course I'm an annoyance. That's what keeps me young," Athena grinned.

"We came back now because Athena said so. You know how that whole sight thing works," Dionysus said and waved a hand.

"Another seer?" Yomi asked.

"Yes, I am. There are only three powerful seers in all the worlds, and two of them are in this room. I still think I'm better than you." Reigan rolled her eyes when Athena turned to look at her, which only made Athena laugh.

"You're only better because you're at least three thousand years older than me."

"As fun as this is, we can take a trip down memory lane later. How's the ruling thing going to work?" Yusuke asked. Athena laughed again, and Dionysus straightened up.

"I don't want anything to change. The Three Lords will remain in control of their territories, and I'm going to ask Enki to be my second and liaison to Spirit World. All of the previous laws and rules stay. Do I have to sign stuff?"

"You saw him as king?" Mukuro asked. Athena looked over at the female ruler and then shrugged.

"I knew he had to enter the tournament. He's on the path he's meant to be on. That's all I know." Seeing is rarely exact, and most glimpses of the future don't make sense until later down the road.

"Go with Yomi, Dionysus. He'll help you until Enki wakes up," Reigan said and gave the bull demon a push.

"I'll go with him and make sure he doesn't screw anything up," Athena sighed and followed after him. Reigan stayed where she was and waited for her family to walk over to her, which didn't take long.

"Can we trust them?" Yusuke asked first.

"Yes, I think so. Athena and Dionysus might seem a little odd, but that's because they've lived for an unusually long time. Even compared to most demons. They've always supported Tourin though, and Raizen. Neither of them enjoy chaos, and they're both fair."

"And you really knew them?" Kazuma asked next.

"I first met them nearly five thousand years ago. Athena is an amazing warrior, with and without her extra sight. Dionysus is a little on the lazy side, but all of the Greek Gods were formidable warriors."

"Why didn't you tell us about them?" Shizuru asked her.

"It's been nearly three thousand years since I've seen them or felt them. I thought they were dead. Plus, Athena and I were never very close. She spent most of her time with Raizen. I was closer to Dionysus, but three thousand years is a very long time."

"But you still trust them." Hiei wasn't asking her, but she answered anyway.

"I still trust them." Reigan wanted to explain _why_ she trusted them, but she couldn't. Not now. Not until the time is right. She was about to try to explain who they were, how they were always willing to keep the peace and the balance way back when, but Yusuke's loud groan stopped her before she could get started.

"Please don't tell me that they're going to be expecting a celebration. All of you older demons will use any excuse to party for days!" Yusuke exclaimed. It was so unexpected that Reigan felt shocked, but she quickly started laughing.

"Sorry, Yusuke, but Dionysus is the one who started the celebration tradition. I think it's safe to assume that we'll be sealing this exchange of power with a celebration to top all celebrations."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** And there's the last Tournament chapter! (Not ever, because I'm sure I'll write another story that will involve some kind of Tournament, but it's the last tournament in this story!) Okay, be honest. How many people expected Enki to be the last one standing? Because I normally like having Enki as my full-time ruler. I decided to go in a completely different direction though, and I hope everyone likes the new characters! I'll explain them more in just a moment, if you're curious. If you're not, feel free to stop reading the Ending Note.

The beginning of this chapter, Kuwabara's graduation, is dedicated to **Toreh**! Kuwabara and Reigan didn't have a full day together like you asked, but I had fun writing their bonding moment. I hope you liked it!

I'm sorry for not going into a lot of details during the fights. I thought it over though, and I realized that I have a lot of fight scenes planned for later on in the story. So many fight scenes…it's gonna be fun. Because of that, I decided to keep this tournament simple. I want to have fun and write family/relationship chapters for a little while, before moving into the bigger parts of the plot. AKA, before moving into the later conflict. Anyway! I hope everyone enjoyed the tournament chapter!

About the new characters. Yes, they really are the basis for the Greek Gods Athena and Dionysus. They're demons who stayed in the Human World long enough for humans to think of them as gods, so they're both very old and very powerful. Athena was close to Raizen, and Reigan hung out with Dionysus. More about their past will be explained later, but I brought them into the story now because they both play huge roles in the story. As for their appearances, if you like visuals, I picture Erza from Fairy Tail as Athena and Ichigo from Bleach as Dionysus. It's not any kind of crossover and I'm not copying the characters; I just needed physical appearances that I could look at, and I went with them.

One last thing before I shut up: I am incredibly sorry for taking so long to update, and I want my readers to know that I didn't disappear because I don't care or something like that. I've been getting sick off and on for the past year or so, but I'm stubborn and never went to a doctor. Long story short, I finally went to an ER after several days of pain and unrelenting…sickness. As it turns out, I had gallstones. The doctors said I was too young to have gallstones but they checked anyway, and I definitely had gallstones. There were a few other complications as well, and my gallbladder had to be removed. I'm back at home now and I feel better, except for the pain leftover from the gallbladder surgery, but I feel like my old self again. I've been writing again and everything, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to update regularly now that I'm not randomly curling up in pain or sleeping in the bathroom next to the toilet. (Too much information? I feel like that's too much information.)

If there's any questions about anything, I'd be happy to answer them! And if there's any kind of scene that you want to see, let me know! (Seriously, I'm up for anything.)

 **purple-pygmy-puff:** It took me a while to update, and I'm sorry about that. I'll try and update again soon! Thank you for the review!

 **Firestorm1991:** There's going to be a lot of calm before the storm. There's going to be _chapters_ of calm before the storm, because I'm really enjoying writing all of the fluff. I promise to keep sprinkling in foreshadowing though. I know people probably don't believe me at this point, but I really do love Yusuke and Keiko so writing their scenes is bittersweet for me. I'm glad you liked it though! And you can always make guesses! I'd love to know who you think is going to be the next set of parents. Thank you for the review! (PS: I just saw your message, and I promise to reply to it soon!)

 **Aelthya:** Isn't the south the worst? (I'm kidding! Mostly. I love my home, I love trees, but I hate the humidity. Why is it so hot down here?) I am behind on WN, but I promise to get caught up soon! I love the way you write Hiei, you've kept him so in character that I'd be jealous if I didn't love the story so much, and I need to know that my Aria is okay. Haha, I can admit that Hiei is OOC in this story. Especially if you compare him to how he was in the Dark Tournament, but I'd like to think that he'd mellow out just a little after learning to trust others. He has friends for the first time in his life, but he's still a total badass. Haha, I can't reveal all my secrets! You'll just have to wait and see who has a baby next! It might be Rei, it might be Kokou again, or it could be someone totally different! Now I'm going to stay up and try to figure out who would make the most shocking parents. lol. Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** I'm not saying that someone is pregnant _now_ , but there are going to be more babies in the future! I'm not a Yusuke/Botan shipper, we both know who I really ship Yusuke with, but I think they'd work together. They balance each other. I love Shikaku! I promise that she is eventually going to come back, and I'll keep adding teaser scenes until her return. Because I'm evil like that. Haha, you know I don't mind if you message me to update! Sometimes I need a little nudge, or yelling, to motivate me. I hope you liked this chapter though, and I'll try to update again soon! Thank you for the review! (PS: Is it weird that I want to reread LWIYF? Mostly because I'm missing Kurama?)


	24. Get It Over With

**Author's Note:** Another update! I'm kind of proud for writing this one so quickly. I won't ramble here though so you can read the chapter, but please read the Ending Note!

 **Post Date:** 23 July 2017

 **Word Count:** 5990

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Four  
** **Get It Over With**

 **April 5, 1998**

Reigan reclined back against the grassy hill and smiled as she looked at all the happy demons below her. It'd been two days since the Tournament, but it didn't look like the celebration was ending anytime soon. Her old friends remembered Dionysus and Athena, so they've been catching up in between drinks and fights. Enki had been surprised at seeing Dionysus, then even more surprised to find out that it was Dionysus who defeated him, and Kokou and Athena had been trading passive jabs at one another for the past few hours. Athena was with Raizen before Kokou came along, but Athena's relationship with Raizen only lasted a few decades. Kokou was with him longer, and both women had clearly moved on from Reigan's twin. Kokou kept Takara in her arms at all times, and Athena only had eyes for Dionysus now. (Which was not something that Reigan ever would have dreamed was possible, because she remembered the two of them arguing more than talking. It seemed to work for them though, and she was happy as long as they were.)

"They're in the black spots." Reigan turned her head to look at Hiei, but he wasn't looking at her. He was looking down below them, where Athena and Dionysus were sitting with Mukuro and Souketsu.

"I don't see any black spots." She could see a lot of green, from the grass, and random flecks of white from the barrels being passed around. Hiei was sitting close enough that Reigan could lean over and press her cheek against his knee, and a callused hand gently grabbed the back of her exposed neck.

"The black spots in your memory. I can see things before the spots and after, but some of your memories are blocked. Your doing?" She squeezed her eyes shut as she pushed her cheekbone against Hiei's kneecap, and Hiei pressed his thumb against the nape of her neck in a careful circular pattern. It helped with the migraine, some.

"No, not my doing." She couldn't even see those parts of her memories, and she wasn't surprised that Hiei had picked up on her blocked memories. She doesn't hold back from him, so he was a familiar presence in her mind. It was only a matter of time before he realized.

"And it involves them?" Another shockwave traveled through her brain, and she groaned quietly as she wrapped her arms around the lower half of Hiei's leg.

"I can't say. I can barely think it." Hiei's hand was massaging the base of her neck and trying to take away some of the tension, but the pain was starting to make her feel a little lightheaded. If he kept this up, her mind would shut down and put her body in a paralyzed state.

"Should I worry?" Her daughter was getting out and smiling more, her son just graduated from college, her nephew was finally learning to accept the different sides of himself, her friends were alive and happy, Dionysus was going to rule Demon World just like Enki did with Enki's help, and Hiei was sitting with her. At the moment, there was no point in worrying about the future.

"Not yet. This time is for all of us." She tipped her head back so that she could look up at him, and Hiei's eyes met hers. She could tell that he wanted to keep questioning her, that he wanted to know more, but he kept quiet instead.

"Are you sure there is nothing we should worry about?" Reigan tipped her head back enough to watch as Kurama smoothly sat down next to Hiei after asking the question, and she took a moment to wonder how Kurama managed to do everything so gracefully.

"What's the point in worrying about the future? Whatever is going to happen is going to happen whether we worry about it or not. Personally, I'm all for enjoying the little things in life." Hiei's thumb was still massaging the base of her neck and helping with her lingering headache, and she glanced up to meet his dark eyes. He didn't look particularly happy with her answer and neither did Kurama.

"We should keep our guards up," Hiei said after a moment.

"We should probably inform our new King as well." Kurama's look was pointed, and Reigan blew out a small breath.

"Our King already knows. Trust me on this, Dionysus and Athena are always prepared. Don't let their strange personalities fool you. Those are two of the greatest warriors in all three worlds." Kurama hummed and didn't say anything else, and Hiei let his hand press flat against the back of her neck.

Dionysus and Athena…they were part of a large group of demons known as the Immortals. Ironically enough, most of the Immortals were dead now. Only a few of them were left, but those were the ones that they'll eventually have to worry about. They're the ones that Reigan would have nightmares about if she could think their names or see their faces, but she couldn't access those memories. It doesn't matter how many years had passed, she still couldn't think about them. Seeing Dionysus and Athena wasn't helping either. Every time she looked at one of them, her mind tried to think of H—

"Reigan?" Kurama's voice was low and hurried, and Reigan heard Hiei growling quietly because her teeth were buried in his thigh. It was the only thing she could think of to stop herself from screaming, and she dug her fingers down into the ground as the pain continued throughout her mind.

Sometime later, Reigan felt hands on her shoulders. She was surprised that Hiei allowed whoever it was to lift her and pull her away from him, and a quiet whimper escaped her throat as her eyes opened. Everything was black; she couldn't see, and she would have panicked if it didn't feel like her skull had been ripped open. Her back was pressed against something half-soft and half-hard, and legs were on either side of her hips. Flesh and metal. Arms draped over her shoulders so that hands could gently touch either side of her head, and she groaned as strong fingers started to massage her temples. Flesh and metal. _Mukuro_. That explained why Hiei allowed Reigan to be moved; Hiei trusted Mukuro, and so did Reigan.

"You mustn't be so foolish, Reigan. You know the rules," Mukuro said quietly. Reigan's back was propped up against Mukuro's front, and she was a little surprised at how gentle the other woman was being.

"Accident. Wasn't prepared. To see them. Again," she got out between pulses of pain.

"Yes, I must admit that looking at them is difficult for me as well. Do not think of the past. It will only hurt you."

"Have you ever?" Reigan's vision was still dark, but the pain was starting to become more manageable.

"A few times. Every time, I became immobile for at least a day. You?"

"Once. Paralyzed for half a day."

"I feel as if I'm missing something important." That was Kurama's voice, so he must still be sitting next to Hiei. Reigan moved her hand across the ground until she found Hiei's arm, and she gently squeezed his wrist to let him know that he could answer Kurama. Because she wasn't sure that she had the strength to do so.

"There are parts of Reigan's memory that I can't see, that are blocked, and she says that she is not the one who blocked them. How do you know about the blocked memories, Mukuro?" Reigan saw a glimpse of the dark sky as her vision fought to clear, and she twisted enough to see one dark blue eye meet her own.

"Because I have blocked memories as well," Mukuro answered without looking away from her.

"Memories that involve our new King and Queen, I assume," Kurama said quietly. He wasn't asking, because Kurama was a smart one and had already figured that much out.

"Yes," Reigan and Mukuro answered at the same time.

"And you don't want us to worry?" Hiei asked. There was definite sarcasm in his tone, and Reigan tried to laugh when Mukuro rolled her visible eye. Tried and failed, because her head was still pounding.

"We'll let you know when it's time to worry. For now, we should enjoy this peace," Mukuro said and flicked her gaze over at Hiei. Reigan heard him make a quiet grunting sound, which was his way of agreeing. For now, at least. Mukuro turned to look down at her again, and Reigan realized that she was starting to feel better.

 _"How long do we have? I knew when I saw those two that it was probably close to that time,"_ Mukuro thought loud enough for Reigan to hear. Reigan glanced over at Hiei, but he was talking quietly with Kurama so he must not have heard Mukuro. Reigan met Mukuro's gaze and shrugged, because she had no way of knowing.

 _"I don't know. Could be tomorrow, could be a hundred years from now. My sight won't let me see that,"_ Reigan thought and hoped that her frustration showed on her face for Mukuro to see. She hated not knowing, but there was nothing more that she could do.

"Rest, Reigan. Hiei will keep you safe," Mukuro said quietly. Reigan felt strong fingers lace through hers, and she let her eyes close as Hiei tightly gripped her hand. Rest sounded like a good idea.

 **.xXx.**

"I just can't get over it. Can you, Di?" Athena asked and turned Yusuke's head to the side again. The owl demon was gripping his chin in one hand, and Botan tried not to laugh as Yusuke turned his panicked eyes towards her.

"The resemblance is uncanny," the new King of the Demon World drawled out. "Please, sit, Botan. Athena won't let him go for at least another ten minutes."

"Jealous?" Athena asked and looked over her shoulder for a second. Then she was studying Yusuke's face again. Dionysus was sitting on a small mound of pillows and blankets, and Botan decided to sit next to him. He had offered after all, and she didn't want to appear rude. She plopped down next to the tall bull demon, and she turned to smile up at him. Warm brown eyes met hers as he smiled back, and he winked at her before throwing a long arm across her shoulders.

"Me? Jealous? Why should I be jealous when there's a beautiful woman sitting next to me?" Botan squeaked a little at the words and quietly cursed the amount of drinks she'd had, and she watched as Yusuke tried to look around Athena at them. Athena wouldn't loosen her hold though, so Yusuke couldn't see them.

"Because he really does look like Raizen," Athena said quietly. Botan overheard Athena and Kokou talking about Raizen earlier, mostly complaining with a little bit of reminiscing, so she was able to put together that Athena had dated Raizen at some point. She's going to call it dating anyway.

"He's lighter than Raizen," Dionysus said and leaned back. Since he still had an arm around Botan's shoulders, she was pulled back with him. As soon as her back hit the soft surface of the ground, she popped up and started apologizing.

"So sorry! I didn't mean to land on you like that!" she said quickly as Dionysus started laughing.

"And I am not lighter than Raizen! What the hell does that even mean?!" Yusuke yelled. That just made Dionysus laugh even louder, and Botan could heard Athena laughing quietly as well.

"It's not an insult, Yusuke. Raizen could be difficult at times; it wasn't easy having the kind of power that he had, and it made being around him for long periods of time difficult. I'm not sure how Rei managed to stay by his side for so long. I couldn't have done it," Athena said quietly. Botan stopped swaying as she listened to the older demon talk, and she realized that Athena sounded…sad.

"Auntie Rei said he spent over thirty years with you, so it must not have been that difficult," Yusuke huffed. Athena started laughing again, Dionysus too, but Botan didn't understand what was so funny this time.

"Thirty years? Kid, that ain't nothing. You probably think your Auntie Rei is old, right? Because she's a little over seven thousand years old now?" Botan felt her brows furrowing in confusion, because seven _thousand_ years was old. Wasn't it?

"You telling me she's young?" Yusuke asked.

"She is compared to us. I'm not even sure how old we are anymore," Dionysus sighed.

"It's because we keep napping for centuries at a time." Athena finally let go of Yusuke's face and fell back to sit next to Dionysus, and Botan turned to look at them at the same time that Dionysus pulled Athena closer to him. Long red hair draped across Dionysus's chest as the owl demon sighed, and Botan quickly looked away. When she looked forward again, Yusuke had turned around and was about to sit next to her. Chu had challenged him to a drinking contest earlier though, so his aim was a little off. Botan groaned as Yusuke's heavy body fell against her, and she felt two hands grab under her arms. She was pulled backwards so that Yusuke was sitting between her legs instead of sitting on her, and she looked over at Dionysus.

"Um, thank you?" Dionysus reached up to pat the top of her head as he smiled at her, and Botan prayed that her cheeks weren't flushing pink.

"It's a celebration. Can't have anyone dying at my celebration," he explained and went back to holding Athena.

"I'd never kill Botan!" Yusuke suddenly yelled. Since Yusuke's back was pressed against her front, the back of his head was resting on her shoulder. So Botan could see his wide brown eyes when she looked down. "You know that'd I'd never kill you, right?"

"Of course I do!" Botan laughed as she moved her arms around Yusuke's shoulders. She laced her fingers over Yusuke's chest and swayed them side-to-side, and she heard Athena and Dionysus cooing at them.

"To victory!" Botan startled a little at the loud yell and opened her eyes, and her jaw dropped just a little. Kuwabara was running at full speed with Kokou on his back, and Kokou was the one who had yelled suddenly. Right behind them, but gaining on them, was Kujou and Juri.

"You better win, Kuwabara!" Yusuke yelled and then started cheering.

"Still can't believe that Rei has kids," Athena said quietly.

"That's because you spent most of your time with Raizen. Rei has always been very nurturing. I think she makes an excellent mother," Dionysus said.

"Auntie Rei's the best!"

"She really has been good to all of us," Botan added. Reigan didn't have to allow Botan to live with her and her family, but the demon hadn't hesitated at all when she asked Botan to move in. She even laughed and joined in on Botan's shopping trips, and she always encouraged Botan's many projects.

"Then I am happy for all of you." When Botan glanced next to her, Athena grinned.

"And the winners are…Kuwabara and Kokou!" Dionysus shouted. Yusuke cheered while Athena clapped, and Botan tightened her arms around Yusuke for just a moment.

 **Four Weeks Later**

"You look horrible," Genkai said as she walked closer. Yusuke was laying in the backyard, on his back, and every inch of him was in pain.

"Feel it too," he groaned as Genkai sat next to him. He slowly rolled his head so that he was looking at his teacher, and it still felt a little weird to look at her. Her hair was bright pink instead of gray, and her eyes were brighter too. He was getting used to it, it was less of a shock now when he did look at her, but it was still a little weird.

"Do I want to know what happened?"

"Drunken dance fight." When Genkai raised a brow, Yusuke decided to elaborate.

He told her about the tournament and the winner, which meant he had to explain Dionysus and Athena. Even after a month, he still wasn't sure about those two. What kind of people can look completely normal after an entire month of drinking, dancing, and fighting? It wasn't normal! A few people left the celebration after a week or two in, but most of the people that Yusuke knew stuck around. Hiei even stayed for the whole celebration, but Yusuke was sure that Hiei stuck around for Auntie Rei. Maybe because Dionysus and Auntie Rei had a history together? They were never together or anything like that, but they both said that they'd been close friends a few thousand years ago. Still…the _celebration_. Yusuke was convinced that it was never going to end, until it finally did. (Mukuro was the one who officially ended the celebration. She had an arm wrestling match against Athena, won, and then said the celebration was over.)

"They all sound like idiots," Genkai huffed.

"It's a good thing you stayed here then, huh?" Yusuke asked her. A part of him missed Genkai when they stayed in the Demon World for an extended amount of time, but he had a feeling that Genkai enjoyed the peace and quiet.

"You look too serious. It's not a good look on you." Yusuke wanted to yell and maybe throw a punch, but it still hurt to move. His entire body was just one big bruise.

"'m not thinkin'," he grumbled out instead. Knuckles connected with his stomach, and he groaned as he rolled to the side and curled in on himself. After a moment, he raised his watery eyes to look up at Genkai. "What was that for?!"

"For lying. Ready to tell the truth?" Yusuke huffed as he pressed his cheek against the ground, because he didn't really like being in touch with his personal feelings and then talking it out. He'd learned his lesson about repression, but that didn't mean he had to _like_ being in tune with his emotions.

"I'll go back to Demon World one day. Not just for a fight or a celebration. To stay," he said after rolling onto his back. The sky was mostly clear, there were a few fluffy clouds, and it didn't look anything like the skies of Demon World.

"You think I don't know that?" Yusuke curled his hands into fists at his sides, and he realized one of the clouds was shaped like a star.

"And you'll stay here." Genkai was quiet for a few minutes, and Yusuke was already starting to feel talked-out.

"And when you get tired of being a slacker, you'll come visit. You know where to find me." At first, Yusuke was worried that Genkai was going to take off. She hadn't been mad at Auntie Rei, as far as Yusuke could tell, but things between them had been tense. Strained. Enough that Yusuke had been able to tell. Things were better now, but Yusuke wasn't sure how long she'd stick around after they all moved to another world.

"Yeah?" He turned his head to look over at her again, but she was looking straight up at the sky.

"My family has lived here and taken care of the temple for generations, and I'm not a slacker that's going to run away from what my ancestors protected." Yusuke felt relief from a tension he didn't even know he'd had, and he heard Genkai huff quietly. "Now, get up! We're a month behind schedule!"

 **.xXx.**

"You seem troubled, brother." Hiei opened one eye, but Yukina wasn't looking at him. She was doing something in her garden, the one behind Genkai's home, and he was sitting at the base of a tree close to where she was.

"I'm fine." It had been a peaceful day. It had been a peaceful week, but that might have had something to do with everyone recovering from Dionysus's celebration.

"Is Reigan okay?" His sister genuinely cared for Reigan, which made things simpler. Hiei wasn't sure if he'd be able to be with someone who didn't get along with his sister; he spent the majority of his life separated from her, and he was forbidden from telling her the truth for far too long.

"Why wouldn't she be?" She'd been in a strange mood ever since she saw…her old friends. Hiei watched her carefully whenever she was around Dionysus or Athena, because her blocked memories concerned him. Mukuro had the same blocked memories, and Hiei had a feeling that those blocked memories were going to cause them harm at some point.

"I worry about the older demons. They've been through so much," Yukina said quietly. The older demons, like Reigan and her friends. Like Mukuro and the new rulers of the Demon World.

"Reigan is still strong." Yukina's eyes rose to meet his, and he recognized the look in them after a moment. He forgot that Yukina tended to Reigan's wounds when she was fighting to stabilize her energy, which meant that Yukina had seen Reigan's scars.

"Wounds like those, do you know why they never heal?" Reigan's scars still looked nearly fresh, and he knew that they were from her blocked memories. The scars were a couple of thousand years old, but they'd barely healed at all.

"No." Demons knew that it was difficult to scar someone from the S-Class; it took a powerful opponent to leave a scar, and it took a powerful demon to survive the initial wound.

"The demons she fought against left their energy in the wounds, and it's that energy that prevents her from healing. I don't doubt Reigan's strength. I just worry about her, and I worry about you." Yukina glanced up at him for a moment before returning to her garden, and Hiei huffed as he crossed his arms.

"I'm fine," he repeated. Demons…the scars were from two different demons.

"I still worry about you, because I love you." Hiei looked away from Yukina and down at the ground, but he still saw her smile. He tightened his fingers against his arms, and he could practically hear Reigan in his head telling him to suck it up and tell his sister how he felt.

"Love you too." He could nearly taste Yukina's happiness in the air, so he didn't look up. He didn't have to.

 **.xXx.**

"Worst. Rulers. Ever." Dionysus yelled as he jumped backwards and fell out of the bed, and he heard Athena groaning as she woke up.

"Me and Di better be having some kind of joint nightmare," Athena said a moment later. Dionysus grabbed the side of the bed and pulled himself into a sitting position, and he could see across the bed to the other side. He could also see Athena sitting up against the headboard out of the corner of his eye, but he couldn't look away from the demon standing on the other side of the bed.

"You have nightmares about me?" the dog demon asked and pointed at himself.

"Of course. Dionysus?" Athena asked without even looking over at him.

"Once or twice," he admitted as he slowly got to his feet. The other standing demon was barely six feet tall, so he had to raise his head just a little to keep eye contact with Dionysus.

"What are you doing here, you idiot?! She could come for you at any minute!" Dionysus had been waiting for Athena to snap. He knew it was only a matter of time.

"Like I'm scared of her," he sniffed and crossed his arms. When Athena and Dionysus just continued to look at him, he rolled his dark silver eyes. "Okay, so I might be a little scared of her."

"Then get!" Athena yelled and pointed at their open window.

"Not until you answer my question." Dionysus met Athena's eyes, and he shrugged at her questioning gaze. How she answered was completely up to her. She sighed, as loudly as possible, and Dionysus slowly lowered himself down so that he was sitting on the bed instead of standing next to it.

"Ask, quick. If she senses you, she'll come running." Over the years, Dionysus had managed to get Athena to loosen up some. Right now? She was grim, and it was a little unsettling.

"She can come if she wants to. I ain't goin' nowhere until I know my little girl is alright." _Oh_. Yeah, okay, that was obvious now that he was thinking about it. Dionysus looked next to him and watched as Athena's bright red eyes faded into a dark gray, and he reached over to lace his fingers through hers. She was unresponsive, but that wasn't the point. She needed an anchor.

"She will not be free until all of the players are on the board. The time is not right. Not yet." Athena lightly shook her head as her eyes brightened, and she reached up with her free hand to push some of her sleep mussed hair out of her face. Her other hand tightly gripped his own, but he didn't make a sound at the tight grip.

"You know that's annoying, right?"

"I don't like it either!" Athena snapped. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, hummed a little, and then opened her eyes again. "It's not time yet, and I don't know how long it'll be. When the time comes, I'll come get you. I promise. Now, _please_ , go back to sleep. Before she catches you."

"Tch. You've got a century. I'm not waitin' any more after that." Dionysus watched as one of his oldest friends disappeared, and Athena groaned as she slumped against his side. Not thinking or saying his friend's name was tricky, but it had be to done. All it would take was saying or thinking his name one time for _her_ to come running, and they couldn't risk that. Not now.

"It'll happen before then," Dionysus said quietly. He looked down as he felt Athena shift against him, and bright red eyes met his own.

"You a seer now?" Athena asked him with a small smile. She looked tired, despite just waking up, but _seeing_ was taking more of a toll on her as the years went by.

"We're here. It won't be much longer." He had to believe that…they can sleep all they want, but they won't be able to actually rest until _after_.

"How much time is much longer? I can't tell anymore." Athena's laugh was quiet and a little sad, and Dionysus moved to wrap his long arms around her and hold her close. They've been alive for so long; Dionysus couldn't remember exactly how old he was, and he didn't think Athena knew either.

"Probably less than a century." Probably.

 **.xXx.**

Reigan pressed her palms flat against the ground as she let her head fall back, and dark blue eyes looked up at the light blue sky. It was a clear day, with only a few fluffy clouds in the sky, and the grass under her hands was warm. The field was about an hour's run away from Genkai's temple, but Reigan liked the way that the trees parted to make room for clearings like the one she was currently sitting in. She especially liked the flagrant flowers that dotted the small field. The whole scene was kinda peaceful, except for the tension that she could feel radiating off of Hiei. She rolled her shoulders as she lifted her head, and dark red eyes instantly met her own. Hiei was sitting across from her with his legs crossed under him, the same way she was sitting, and their knees were pressed together. She smiled as their eyes met, wide enough to show the tips of her fangs, and Hiei made a quiet grunting sound.

"For the record, I know this is a stupid idea," she said and straightened up so she could cross her arms.

"Then why are we doing it?" Hiei asked her.

"Because I'm not allowed to say anything, literally. This way, maybe you'll be able to see a few things and give everyone a heads-up. So, if it works, everyone can be a little more prepared. If it fails, we'll tell everyone that there's potential danger somewhere in the future but not to worry about it. You ready?" It was a bad plan, but it was the only one they had. Reigan knew that the others deserved to know that someday, either in the near future or the far-off future, they were going to have a major problem on their hands. This plan, this horrible plan, might be able to give them a few details. Or it'll just hurt her. One of the two.

"I've been waiting on you," Hiei huffed. There was the fire demon she knew and loved! They were about to do something that could cause them serious injury, and he was being…himself. That was actually kind of comforting.

"Alrighty then. Let's do this."

Reigan held her hands out, and Hiei's palms quietly clapped against hers. They kept their grips loose for the time being, and Reigan closed her eyes. A few seconds later, she felt Hiei's familiar presence inside of her mind. Hiei's mental presence was a dark purple color along the edges of her own thoughts, and she tried to think back as Hiei settled into her mind. She skimmed over the last thousand years, because she spent the vast portion of the past millennium here in the Human World. Going over her memories of Raizen and their friends was bittersweet; she missed her brother more than she could express, but it felt good to see him again. She couldn't dwell on Raizen though. She moved farther back, deeper into her memories, and she knew that Hiei could see everything that she recalled.

 _"Shh, Rei, it'll all make sense later…be back soon," Shikaku whispered after the dream. The one about sons. The dream that should have been happy but was instead filled with pain and loss._

No, that was still too recent. She needed to go back even more.

 _His eyes are red…his eyes are beautiful. Burn so hot that she feels cold. He's so far away, and she can't be with him. Not for a very long time._

That was too far back. She skipped over nearly seven hundred years' worth of memories, and she felt her fingers tightening around Hiei's hands as she forced herself to focus. She needed to see after meeting Mukuro for the first time and before she dreamed about sons.

 _"Require assistance…Spirit World." The voice was distorted, warped, and impossible to recognize._

That was near the beginning. Or was it the beginning?

 _"Drive them back!" a different voice roared._

Reigan's arm twitched, like she wanted to pull back, but Hiei kept a tight hold on her hand. Her left hand, the one that she used to wield her naginata.

 _"Not really a choice, is it?" Reigan asked with a humorless laugh._

Not a choice, because there was really only one thing they could do. They did what they had to. Because they had to win.

 _"You can't escape me, demon!" A voice with the power to shake the heavens, and the **pain**_.

This time, Reigan's torso twisted as the scar that wrapped around her body started to burn. The pain was too much, and she bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to focus. Tried to recall what happened.

 _"You! Can't! Win!" The loud bellow was followed by laughter, wild and unrestrained laughter. Blue…his eyes were as blue as the Human World sky, and his teeth were sharper than any blade._

"I can't!" Reigan heard herself scream. It felt like the scar on her left ribcage, the very large bite mark, was splitting open. Hiei's hands released hers as she fell back, and everything went dark. Her sight, her sense of touch, her hearing, and even her sense of smell just completely disappeared.

 _"Oh, Rei, why did you do that? You know the rules." Reigan could hear Shikaku, but she couldn't see her. Why couldn't she see her?_

 _"Because they need to be ready. How can I make sure that they're ready if I can't even think about what happened?" She knew the rules, and she agreed to the rules. That was before though. Before she had children, before Raizen had a son, and before she found the one meant to be hers. She couldn't risk them. Any of them._

 _"They'll be ready. You have to have faith." Reigan could see smoke curling through the air, but she still couldn't see Shikaku anywhere. It was almost like she was…blocked._

 _"Where are you?" Reigan asked._

 _"I'll be okay," Shikaku answered with a quiet laugh. It wasn't an answer. It was the opposite of an answer and only made Reigan feel even more worried, and she knew that Shikaku wouldn't say anything else on the subject._

 _"What do I do?" Reigan had always known what to do, to some degree. She'd felt lost when Raizen decided to die and when she was sealed away, but she knew what to do. (Watch after Raizen's line and wait for Yusuke to fulfill his destiny.) Now, now she had no idea what she was supposed to do. Shikaku's scent reached her, heavy metallic and crisp peaches, and she felt a little comforted. It was almost like Shikaku's arms were wrapped around her._

 _"You live. Enjoy the time you have with your loved ones and stop worrying so much. It's going to be okay."_

 _"That sounds like a personal opinion."_

 _The scent slowly drifted away, but Reigan could still hear Shikaku's quiet laugh as everything started to fade._

 _"That's what I put my faith in."_

 **.xXx.**

Hiei was sitting still when Reigan's breath hitched, and he braced his hands against his knees as he bent over to watch Reigan's eyes flutter open. The dark blue color was glazed over at first, and her lips parted as she took in a deep breath. The look in her eyes slowly cleared, and Reigan looked over at him. One side of her lips tipped up into a smile as their eyes met, and Hiei remained in the same position as Reigan's hand reached for his. Her grip on his hand was loose, but her breathing was steadier after he shifted his hand to lace their fingers together.

"How long?" Her voice was hoarse, and he reached into the basket next to him for a bottle of water. Reigan managed to lift her head as he held the water bottle for her, and he answered her as she continued to drink from the bottle.

"Three days." She sighed as he pulled the empty bottle away, and her eyes clenched shut.

"It's a good thing we told everyone we were taking some time for ourselves," she said quietly. They'd told everyone that they wanted some time alone, because Reigan hadn't wanted to worry them just in case she became paralyzed. It was a good decision, because that was exactly what had happened.

"Do you remember anything?" Her eyes opened again, and it struck him just how _tired_ she looked. It had nothing to do with the physical. He knew the physical signs of exhaustion. With her, it was something else. Something he didn't understand.

"Not really. Just flashes. Did you see anything?" She looked hopeful.

"Only flashes. I know Spirit World was involved, and I know you fought against different people. That's all." The hopeful look fell, and she looked away from his eyes to look up at the sky.

"We still have to tell the others," she said after several long moments.

"Then let's get it over with." Her eyes moved over to his, and she suddenly started to smile.

"Yeah, let's get it over with."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** I know this chapter was a little more serious than my usual "celebration" chapters, but there's a good reason for it! I'm dropping little hints that there's going to be some major drama later on. As for Dionysus and Athena, it's okay if you were confused during their scene. They're meant to be confusing, because there's so much that the older demons aren't allowed to talk about.

Now, in the next several chapters, I want you to be prepared for time skips. I'm not saying there will be big ones in every chapter, but I am going to start jumping around a little. So if there's anything that you'd like to see, just let me know! Wanna see Yusuke and Rei bonding in Tourin? Shizuru visiting with Yomi? More scenes with Dionysus and Athena? I can do pretty much anything.

One last thing before I reply to reviews: I've posted a new YYH story! Yeah, I know I already have active stories, but I just couldn't help myself. It's called **Rinse and Repeat** , and I'm really excited about it. It was an idea that I couldn't get out of my head. It's not a Hiei/OC story, the main pairing is a secret for now, but I'd still love it if you could read it and tell me your thoughts!

 **FireStorm1991:** Greek gods and goddesses are officially in the story! I took a mythology class in college that focused mostly on the Greeks, but it was still one of my favorite classes. And can't you picture a bunch of demons posing as gods? Because I can. Yes, so many fluffy chapters! There will be emotional scenes too, but it'll be mostly fluff for a little while. In the chapter before the last one, Shikaku said that Enki and Kokou's daughter won't be the last. So some people have been wondering who the next parents are going to be. (I'm not even a hundred percent sure at this point lol) Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Dionysus is my god! If I ever change religions, it'll be to worship him. I love Athena too, but the God of Partying will always be my fave. I love Kuwabara so much; I can't wait until he finishes with school so I can have him in the story a little more. Haha, I'm glad you liked that scene! It was fun to write, because Yusuke had a good point. Dionysus is going to rule indefinitely, so until he dies or finds a way to pass the title on. I didn't want Rei to be super weak, because they've got a lot of fighting to do in the future, but I didn't want her to be overpowered this time. (Also, I really like the idea of Hiei getting mad whenever someone calls her weak.) I'm going to start bringing Kurama in more! Because I'm having fox withdrawals lol And I promise that Shikaku will pop up randomly! One day, we'll even find out where she's been! As always, THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEW!

 **Dark Rose Charm:** I meant to say this in the last chapter, but my thoughts were scattered. (My thoughts are always scattered.) Thank you so much for all of the reviews, and I hope you're still enjoying the story!


	25. Tell Me What Happened

**Author's Note:** Writing this chapter was extremely difficult. I can't tell you how many times I just erased everything and started from scratch before finally settling on this version, so I hope everyone enjoys the chapter!

For anyone that's curious, I have posted a new YYH story! It's called _**Rinse and Repeat**_ , and I'm nearly done with Chapter 5 so now is the perfect time to go check it out! Also, if you want to talk about my stories or fangirl over YYH, you can find me on tumblr at _tv-writes-ff . tumblr . com_

 **Post Date:** 30 July 2017

 **Word Count:** 9700

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Five  
** **Tell Me What Happened**

 **Present: March 2025**

"Tell me what I've missed." Reigan startled a little at the quiet voice and quickly sat up in the chair that she had apparently fallen asleep in.

"You're a seer. What can I tell you that you haven't already seen?" Reigan asked with a small smile. Fingers laced through hers and held on tight, and a single pale blue eye met her curious gaze.

"That's not the point, and you know it. Come on, Rei. Tell me about your life." Shikaku's voice was quiet, and Reigan had to close her eyes to focus on her friend's soft voice. "Tell me what happened after the last time I spoke to you. Did you tell your family to be prepared?"

The last time…the last time Shikaku spoke to her was right after her and Hiei attempted to see her blocked memories. She'd been in pain then too, but that was nothing compared to this. Compared to seeing one of her closest friends lying still in a bed with her energy so low that she could barely speak. She couldn't focus on that right now. Shikaku asked her a question, so she thought back to their last conversation. The pain of trying to see her blocked memories had made everything go black, but she'd been able to hear Shikaku. What happened after that? It'd been early morning when she came out of the paralysis, and her and Hiei had decided to tell everyone what they knew that day. It'd been a Monday, so they had a picnic close to Kazuma's new school. Everyone had gathered together, and Reigan had told them. She told them so they would be prepared.

 **Past: May 25, 1998**

"So, you got all of us together to tell us that you can't tell us?" Yusuke asked and looked around their secluded picnic area. He was sitting between Botan and Kazuma, and Shizuru was sitting on her brother's other side. Kurama was sitting at the edge of the group, and Yukina was sitting next to the now empty picnic basket. Genkai was sitting with her back leaned up against a tree, and Hiei was sitting in the tree above her head. Reigan was the only one standing, and she crossed her arms over her stomach as she looked at everyone.

"She is giving us a warning, Yusuke," Kurama explained quietly.

"But she can't say about who or when," Yusuke pointed out.

"No, I can't, but I thought everyone deserved to know that there will come a time when we'll have to fight," Reigan said and made sure to make eye contact with everyone as she looked around. "You're my family, and I love each and every one of you. You need to know, because we'll need to be ready."

"How do we prepare for something we know nothing about?" Kazuma asked. It's a good question, but it wasn't something that she had a good answer for. She smiled anyway, and she released the tension in her arms so that they stopped being so tightly crossed and propped her fists on her hips.

"It's simple, really. We prepare by living and making sure that we have something worth fighting for," she said with a wide grin. Genkai huffed at that, and Botan started to giggle quietly. Yusuke raised a brow when her eyes met his, and she waited to see what her nephew had to say.

"That's the cheesiest bullshit I've ever heard!" Yusuke suddenly yelled. Kazuma and Shizuru both started laughing at that, and she could hear Kurama chuckling quietly as well. Before long, every single one of them was laughing. Even Hiei, but his laughter went mostly unheard because he was still up in the tree.

"Cheesy or not, it's the truth. We're going to live, and we're going to be happy. Got it?"

"Got it, Ma."

"Yes, Mother."

"Sure, Auntie Rei."

"Of course, Reigan."

"I can't believe I left my temple for this."

Words started to blur together as everyone talked at once, and Reigan sighed quietly as she loosely crossed her arms over her stomach. Someone was going to attack them, eventually, but…someone was always going to attack them eventually, right? That was what happened when you were strong and had loved ones to protect. Fighting was always inevitable. For now, everything was peaceful. So they might as well enjoy it.

 **Present: March 2025**

"You were right, Reigan. Fighting is inevitable, but you deserved happiness too." Shikaku looked small under the thin sheet, fragile in a way that Reigan had never imagined her friend could look. "Tell me about Kazuma and Shizuru. They removed their seals, didn't they?"

 **Past: March 2002**

"Kazuma!" Her son opened his arms as she jumped into the air, and they both laughed as he started to spin her around. Reigan's arms were wrapped tight around his neck, and she couldn't get over how _proud_ she was of her son. After eight years, he was a doctor! Her son was a doctor!

"Veterinarian, Ma. Not a doctor," Kazuma corrected as he placed her back on her feet. Reigan could hear the others laughing behind her, and she looked over her shoulder to stick her tongue out at her gathered family. Botan had assembled a picnic table in their backyard…Well, Botan had supervised while Yusuke assembled a picnic table in their backyard…and Botan and Yukina were setting out dishes of food down the length of the table. Shizuru was directing the whole thing, and Reigan wasn't sure where the others were. She had a feeling that they'd be around soon.

"The _point_ ," Reigan stressed and leaned up on her toes to press a hand against Kazuma's cheek, "is that all of your hard work has paid off. Congratulations, Kazuma."

"Thanks, Ma." Her son had to nearly bend completely at the waist to lean down and kiss her cheek, and he quickly wiped away the happy tears clinging stubbornly to her lashes. She told herself that she wasn't going to cry, but she can't help it! Kazuma worked so hard for this, he kept going to school even after she was released even though he told her that he wanted to spend more time with her, but he wasn't the type of man to quit once he started something. That's why she was so proud of him.

"Yo, Auntie Rei! Little help!" Kazuma turned around as Reigan stepped to the side to see around him, and they both started laughing as Yusuke came into view. Reigan could actually only see her nephew's legs, because the large wooden crate he was carrying completely blocked his body from the knees up. "What the hell is this thing?!"

"That's Kazuma's graduation present! Be careful!" Reigan yelled as Yusuke tripped. She could hear him yelling as he started falling forwards, and she started running towards him even though she'd never make it on time. She'd only taken three steps when the crate seemed to freeze in midair, and she could hear Yusuke grumbling from somewhere behind the floating crate. She kept running until she was behind the crate, and a pair of red eyes met hers.

"What kind of fighter trips over air?" Hiei asked and looked down at his feet. Hiei was holding the bottom of the crate with one hand, stopping it from crashing into the ground, and Yusuke was laying on the ground flat on his face. Reigan heard her nephew growl quietly before he was suddenly on his feet, and she immediately started laughing. Yusuke's glare turned towards her, and she covered her mouth with her hand as a few more giggles slipped out.

"I'm sorry, Yusuke, it's just…you really ate dirt, huh?" His whole face was covered in dirt, like he'd gone to a spa for some kind of mud facial, and the dirt was only a few shades darker than his eyes. "Go get cleaned up."

"Stupid party, stupid present, stupid..." Yusuke continued to grumble under his breath as he walked around Hiei and Reigan, and she leaned back so that she could watch him walk closer to the house. He was passing the picnic table when someone else noticed him for the first time since his fall, and Reigan clapped her hand over her mouth again as Botan's eyes went wide.

"Oh, Yusuke, you're filthy! Go get cleaned up right now! We're trying to have a party, you know!" Botan yelled as she pushed at his shoulders. Reigan could hear Yusuke protesting, but he was no match against Botan when she was in party mode. Reigan was still trying not to laugh when she turned back around, and Hiei just looked over at her with a bored expression on his face.

"Thank you for catching Kazuma's present," she said and smiled sweetly at him. She went to reach for the crate, but Hiei huffed and just shifted so that he was holding it with both hands and started to walk. They were only a couple of months away from their five year anniversary, but Hiei was still the same fire demon that she'd fallen in love with. Stubborn, quick to insult, and showed his affections through actions rather than words. Which was why he was carrying her son's graduation present, even though Hiei and Kazuma still argued more than they didn't. Which reminded her. "Don't forget to congratulate Kazuma."

"I already did." They had been walking closer to the picnic table, but Reigan froze mid-step. Hiei looked over his shoulder at her, and his expression was asking her why she had stopped. And possibly calling her a fool.

"You did? When?" Hiei respected Kazuma, Kazuma respected Hiei and was happy for both of them, but Hiei still rarely said a nice thing to Kazuma without some kind of prompting.

"This morning," Hiei said and started walking again. Reigan finally placed her hovering foot back on the ground, and her head tilted to the side a little as she watched Hiei walk off.

This morning? Kazuma had returned home yesterday, after his graduation, but they'd decided to save his big graduation party for today. They sat around the living room the night before, laughing and enjoying being together again, but she couldn't remember seeing Hiei talk directly to Kazuma. Not about graduating anyway. She was sure there were a few half-hearted insults in there somewhere. When Reigan woke up this morning, Hiei was sitting on the side of their bed and holding out a cup of tea. She'd been grateful for the nice gesture, and she'd figured that he'd been the first one to the kitchen. Was Kazuma already up? Did Hiei congratulate him when there were no witnesses around? Because that sounded more like him.

"Reigan? Are you alright?" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked to the side at the sound of the quiet voice, and the first thing she saw was long red hair.

"Kurama!" The fox laughed softly as she jumped up to hug him, and she felt his arms settle around her back after a moment. Kurama had been shocked the first time she jumped on him to hug him, but he'd slowly gotten used to it over the past few years.

"I trust everything here is going according to plan?" Kurama asked once her feet were back on the ground. She'd moved her arms off his shoulders, but she was now gripping his hands as she smiled up at him.

"It is! Botan is running a tight ship, so all of the food should be out soon. Everyone's almost here too! Now that you're here, we're just waiting on Genkai," Reigan announced.

"Losing your eyesight in your old age?" Reigan blinked and Genkai was standing next to Kurama, and she gentled her wide smile a little as she looked down at her old friend. She knew that Genkai didn't hate her for what had happened and that the psychic didn't mind having them all live so close, but Reigan also knew that her old friend was starting to crave solitude. She spent years on her own, surrounded by peace and quiet, and she missed it. That was okay though, because it wouldn't be much longer before they moved to the Demon World. Reigan couldn't see exactly when the move would happen, but she had a feeling that it would be soon. "Why are you staring at me with that look on your face?"

"Because I'm just so happy to see you, Kai!" Reigan released Kurama so that she could wrap her arms around Genkai and attempt to spin them around, but the psychic put a quick stop to that. Reigan blinked and she was lying flat on the ground, and Genkai's youthful face moved to block her view of the beautiful blue sky. Reigan looked up into bright honey eyes and grinned so wide that it made her face hurt a little. "My son's a doctor."

"Shows he's smarter than his fool mother and dimwitted cousin," Genkai said. There was a soft look on her face though, almost a smile, and Reigan was still smiling when Kurama extended a hand down towards her. She gratefully took the help and let him pull her to her feet, and she took a moment to brush off her backside.

"Now! To the party!" Genkai huffed and immediately walked off, it looked like she was headed towards where Shizuru and Yukina were sitting, but Reigan stayed back so that she could walk next to Kurama. Now that she was paying attention, she could tell that there was something on Kurama's mind. He was being too quiet. Reigan didn't want to push him though. She knew he'd talk in his own time.

"Today is Kuwabara's day, and I don't want to take away from that." Reigan looked over at Kurama and raised a brow, because she wasn't even a little bit surprised at his thoughtful consideration for his friends. Kurama could be cold and calculating in battle, but none of them could ask for a more caring friend. "But I would like to speak with you in private tomorrow. If you haven't already made plans?"

"My schedule's wide open. Is everything okay?" There were quiet whispers at the back of her mind, but she wouldn't be able to hear them unless she focused. She'd rather hear it from Kurama.

"Yes, everything is fine. I would just like your opinion on something."

Kurama told her, about four years ago now, that he respected her. He respected her as a warrior, respected her wisdom, and respected her as a mother. (It'd been at Shizuru's birthday party, her little girl had turned forty but barely looked a day over twenty-five, and Kurama had been the one to find her crying outside because Shizuru had looked at her over the candles on her birthday cake and all Reigan had been able to see were Eiji's eyes looking at her. Hiei held her that night and whispered into her hair that mourning was not weakness, but Kurama was the first one to comfort her that night and tell her that he _respected_ her as a mother. She'd been randomly tackling him into hugs ever since.) So, as far as Reigan was concerned, Kurama could ask her for anything.

"Tomorrow it is! You are staying here tonight, right?" They were almost at the picnic table with the others, Reigan could hear Kazuma and Yusuke yelling about the best place to put the cake Yukina had baked for the occasion, and the smile on Kurama's face was fond. (Reigan loves her family, but Kurama was the only one that lived in the Human World who could understand what it was like to live for a lot longer than an average human lifespan. They were both old souls, so to speak.)

"Of course," Kurama said and smiled down at her. Then he was walking over to join the small group of spectators watching as Yusuke and Kazuma continued to argue.

In the end, Botan won.

 **.xXx.**

"Okay, present time!" Reigan yelled and started bouncing in her seat. Most of the food was gone, Botan had moved all of the leftovers back inside the house, and several different wrapped packages were laid out across the table. Kazuma met her eyes over a brightly wrapped box and raised a brow before looking over at the giant crate next to the table, and Reigan forced herself to shake her head. The big present would be last.

"Alright!" Kazuma yelled and reached for the first wrapped present. Reigan clapped and cheered along with everyone else as her son laughed and thanked the people who'd given him a present, which was everyone at the table because Reigan had nagged at them all until a present was bought, until only one was left. This time when Kazuma met her eyes, Reigan grinned and jumped up from the table.

"This one took me forever to pick out, and I really hope you like it," Reigan explained as they stopped in front of the crate. Kazuma looked down at her, but she just gestured to the crate in front of them. "Go ahead."

"Open the thing!" Yusuke yelled from the picnic table.

"I'm going!" Kazuma yelled back.

Reigan started to lightly bounce on her toes as Kazuma squared his shoulders and then reached out, and he grabbed the top of the crate and easily ripped the side off of it. Her son had a gentle soul, but he was also pretty damned strong. The large square of wood got tossed onto the ground, and Reigan stretched her arms behind her back and laced her fingers together as she waited. Kazuma was quiet as he looked inside of the crate, and Reigan started to get worried when he didn't say anything. Maybe she messed up?

"You were so excited about getting that job offer in Aoyama, but you've been worried about the commute. I know motorcycles aren't the safest form of transportation, but I know you'll follow all of the safety precautions. This way you can still live here at the house with us and not have to rush too much. I got the blue one because I know it's your favorite color, light blue not dark blue, and there's a manual that explains all of the technical stuff that went right over my head. And! I found this neat helmet that shouldn't mess up your hair, because you're going to be a doctor and respectable doctors don't have helmet hair. But if you don't like it, we can take it back and find you something else. Whatever you want to do is fi—"

Her nervous rambling was cut off as Kazuma suddenly turned and grabbed her in a hug, and she heard herself sigh in relief as he started to thank her. Loudly and repeatedly. Her back cracked against the tight hold, but she was too happy to worry about something so small. Reigan heard the others gathering around them, and Yusuke was the first one to start yelling about how Kuwabara couldn't drive something that cool. Kurama and Botan were talking about safety measures, and Shizuru just told her little brother not to show off like an idiot. By the time Kazuma sat her back on her feet, everyone had already said their piece and was starting to talk quietly amongst each other.

"I love it, Ma," Kazuma said and grinned down at her.

"I just wanted to make things a little easier for you. We can keep it in the shed at the bottom of the temple steps. Oh! Before I forget, here's your keys," Reigan said and dug around in the pocket of her shorts. She finally managed to find the keys she'd stashed earlier, and Kazuma held up the keys to study them. "That small silver one goes to the motorcycle, and the brass key goes to the house. We don't really lock the house, but I like the symbolism anyway. Oh! And this clip thing is so you can clip the keys to your pants and not have to worry about losing them. Then I saw that cute little cat keycahin, but you can take it off if you don't like it."

"Ma?" Reigan stopped rambling so that she could take in a deep breath, and Kazuma placed one hand on her shoulder since his other hand was still holding the keys.

"Yes?" she asked when he just kept smiling down at her.

"Stop worrying so much, okay? I love it, all of it," Kazuma said slowly and lightly squeezed her shoulder. Right after he let her go, a different arm was slung over her shoulders. She looked up at Shizuru, and her daughter winked at her before looking straight ahead at Kazuma.

"She just wants all of this to be perfect for you, bro. So suck it up and let her pamper you a little," Shizuru said and shook Reigan a little. Kazuma blushed a little as he reached up to grab the back of his neck, and Reigan smiled as she watched her very tall son shuffle on his feet and curl his shoulders forward like he was trying to appear smaller.

"I really do appreciate everything, Ma," he said quietly.

"I know. I just want you to be happy, but I'll try to calm down a little," Reigan said and told herself to follow her own advice. She was just so happy that Kazuma was going to be living with them full-time now and not just visiting when he had time off from classes.

"That's the spirit!" Shizuru yelled and hooked her other arm around Kazuma's neck. Once Shizuru had Kazuma and Reigan pulled in close to her sides, the quiet click of a camera went off. Reigan blinked and looked up, and Botan laughed as she waved a camera in the air.

"That's one for the scrapbooks!" The bubbly Reaper skipped over to where they were standing, and she tucked her camera into her back pocket for the moment as she stopped in front of the three of them. "Rei, can we use the crate for firewood? It feels like a perfect night for a bonfire."

"I didn't plan on reusing it, so go for it." Botan cheered and clapped as she lightly bounced on her toes, and she cupped a hand around her mouth as she twisted to look over her shoulder.

"Yusuke! She said yes! Come help me move this!" Reigan could hear grumbling coming from inside the house, but she knew that Yusuke would do what Botan had asked. He always did.

Reigan stepped back so that Kazuma could move the motorcycle out of the crate, and he looked over his shoulder to grin at her before moving it to somewhere safe for the night. Shizuru helped Yusuke break the crate apart a little more, and the two of them carried the large chunks of wood towards the fire pit. (The fire pit had been Botan's idea. Yusuke had been the one to build it, under Botan's careful supervision, next to the side of the house.) Reigan watched as the people she considered her family started walking in the same direction, and she didn't even jump when she felt a sudden presence at her side.

"Today's been a good day," she said quietly. Hiei was standing so close to her that their arms were pressed together, and she spread her fingers apart so that her knuckles could knock against his.

"It's been a loud day," Hiei huffed. Reigan's smile was gentle as Hiei twisted his wrist and grabbed her hand properly, so that their palms were pressed together and their fingers were laced, and she turned her head just enough to look at him. To her surprise, he was already looking over at her.

"Admit it, you love seeing everyone together too," she said and lightly shook his hand. Hiei grunted but didn't look away from her, and that was progress. In the beginning, he wouldn't even keep eye contact with her for this long.

"They better not make a habit of it," he said after a moment. Usually, they all had their separate things to do each day. Shizuru, Yusuke, Botan, Hiei, and Reigan were the only permanent residents of the house. (Kurama lived in the city close to his mother, Kazuma lived in the school dorms, and Yukina still lived with Genkai.) Most of them usually had breakfast together and they saw each other at dinner, but the in-between times were spent separately. So, it was rare to see everyone together in one place.

"I wouldn't mind making this a semi-regular occurrence." Before Hiei could make some kind of protest, Reigan started walking towards their family and tugged on Hiei's hand to pull him along with her. "Let's go find a comfy seat."

The fire pit that Botan and Yusuke built was fancy, in Reigan's opinion. Normally when Reigan wanted to sit around a fire, she marked off a small area for anything flammable and then sat on the ground close to the fire. Botan, however, went all out. The square fire pit itself was built into the ground and made of thick sturdy wood, and there were even built in benches with cushions and little pillows. The square area that surrounded the fire was made out of thick stone, and there were other little lights situated around the perimeter of the fire pit. By the time Hiei and Reigan reached the area, everyone else was already sitting while a fire blazed.

Genkai was stretched out on her back on one of the shorter sections of a bench, with her legs raised so that she could cross an ankle over a knee, and her long pink braid lightly brushed the ground. Next to her, on a longer section of bench, Kazuma was sitting between Shizuru and Yukina. On Yukina's other side, on another short section, Yusuke and Botan were reclining back against a few of the little pillows. The section next to the two of them was empty, which made Reigan happy because it was her favorite place to sit. The cushioned wooden bench was surrounded by concrete, so it was like sitting on a little couch. That was where she pulled Hiei to, and he moved ahead of her at the last second to sit down first.

He propped his back against the far side and stretched his legs out along the seat, so that his feet were close to where Yusuke was sitting. When Reigan raised a brow in question at him, Hiei wordlessly shifted so that his outside leg dropped off the bench and his foot braced against the ground. _Oh_. Well, he was certainly in an affectionate mood tonight. Reigan shook her head a little as she sat down between Hiei's parted legs, and she sighed a little as she eased back against him. Most of her body was cradled between his thighs, and her head was leaned back against his chest. Hiei's arms came up to wrap around her stomach, and she felt something warm spread outwards from her stomach as she laced their fingers together.

She was about to ask where Kurama was, since he was the only one missing, when the fox moved into her line of sight. He placed one of the little pillows on the ground in front of the bench that Hiei and Reigan was laying on, and Reigan watched as he gracefully sat down right in front of her. His head tipped back so that it was braced against her thigh, and Reigan couldn't help her smile as she realized what Kurama was giving her permission to do. She untangled one hand from Hiei's and reached down, and she could barely believe her luck as her fingers sunk into Kurama's bright red hair. She was surrounded by her family, cuddled up to Hiei, and was being allowed to play with Kurama's hair? For a moment she worried that she was dreaming, but then she heard Yusuke and Kazuma arguing over something. So, not a dream. That was good, because reality was so much better.

From where Reigan was laying, she could easily see everyone around her. Botan had her feet pulled up onto the bench with her legs tucked against her chest, and she was leaning to the side into Yusuke as she laughed about something with Shizuru. Yusuke had an arm tossed over the back of the bench, running along behind Botan, and his arm moved forward to wrap around Botan's shoulders every time he and Kazuma laughed. Shizuru had her legs crossed under her, and Reigan realized that Shizuru had one foot tucked under Kazuma's thigh. Kazuma was holding onto her ankle, almost absentmindedly as he took turns talking to Yusuke and Yukina. Yukina was the only sitting like a normal person, with both feet on the ground and her hands laced in her lap, but her pale cheeks were flushed a light pink as she talked with Kazuma and Botan. Genkai's eyes were closed, and she looked so relaxed that Reigan almost thought she was asleep. She would have believed it if she hadn't been able to see the small smile on her face, a smile so small it was only noticeable when the fire flickered just right to light up her face.

" _Can you hear me, Raizen? It's not exactly the same, but it's close. It's still family. Our family,"_ Reigan thought as her fingers moved through Kurama's hair. His face was tipped up towards the sky as his head pressed against her thigh, but his eyes were closed.

" _Praying?"_ Hiei's voice was quiet inside of her mind, and Reigan hummed as she nuzzled her head under his chin.

" _Just talking to him. I don't know if he can hear me, but I like to think that he can."_ She missed Raizen. Missed her twin something fierce, but she knew it was better this way. Raizen wasn't in pain anymore, he was at peace, and she was still here to take care of their family.

" _Not exactly the same as what?"_ Hiei sounded curious, and Reigan loved sharing her more pleasant memories with him. Especially when he asked, because Hiei rarely asked for anything.

" _Before Raizen stopped eating, when we were all still together, we'd have peaceful nights like this. It wasn't always drinking, dancing, and fighting. Sometimes we'd just sit together and laugh. We'd just enjoy being around each other. Can't you see?"_

Reigan could see them all. She could hear Enki's loud booming laughter over the sound of Souketsu and Shu arguing. Could see Natsume and Kujou sitting back to back with their eyes closed, breathing perfectly in sync. Could hear Saizou and Tetsuzan singing the newest song they'd learned in the Human World. Could feel Den-Hou's deep breaths as she laid stretched out over his torso. Could see Kokou laying on the ground with her head in Raizen's lap and Raizen's claws running through her hair. She could hear Raizen humming quietly in tune with the singing. The memories were old, practically ancient by now, but she could picture it all like it had just happened. She knew that Hiei was experiencing the memory with her, because his fingers tightened around hers for just a moment.

" _Sentimental fool."_

Reigan looked at her family, like she was looking at the scene around her through the lens of old memories, and smiled as her nails lightly scratched against Kurama's scalp. Yeah, she was sentimental, but she was okay with it. She had a feeling that Hiei was too, because he turned so that his cheek was pressed against the top of her head. This was one of the moments that she knew she'd cherish, that she'd hold onto and cement in her memory. It was one of those moments that she'd be able to look back on and feel the warmth of happiness spreading through her.

Unfortunately, the moment couldn't last forever. As the night dragged on, more and more people started to yawn. Genkai was the first one to call it a night, and Yukina quickly said goodbye to everyone so that she could walk back to the temple with Genkai. Then Botan yawned so loudly that her jaw made a quiet cracking noise, and Yusuke laughed before pushing her towards the house. Botan tried to protest because she wanted to help clean up, but Yusuke cut her off and promised to make sure that everything was taken care of. Kurama and Hiei took care of putting out the fire, Shizuru and Yusuke cleaned up the wrapping paper from the presents left on the picnic table, and Kazuma and Reigan carried Kazuma's presents up to his room.

When they made it back outside, everything was cleaned up. Shizuru was sitting on top of the picnic table, and Hiei was standing between Kurama and Yusuke as the latter two talked. Kazuma came to a stop in front of the picnic table where Shizuru was sitting, and Reigan watched as her children seemed to speak with just facial expressions. After a moment, Kazuma nodded and Shizuru hummed low in her throat. Reigan's head tilted to the side as they turned to look at her at the same time, and they looked…a little nervous. Kazuma had grown into a confident man and Shizuru rarely felt nervous about anything, so Reigan couldn't understand the looks.

"Mother, Kazuma and I want to talk to you and Yusuke." Reigan heard Yusuke stop mid-sentence behind her, but she kept her focus on Shizuru and Kazuma. What had them looking so serious all of a sudden?

"Goodnight, everyone," Kurama said quietly. While everyone else said their goodnight wishes, Reigan looked over her shoulder and met Hiei's eyes. When he raised a brow at her in question, she dipped her head in a nod to let him know that she'd meet him in their room later. Kurama and Hiei both walked inside the house, and Yusuke walked with Reigan until they were standing in front of the picnic table. Kazuma was sitting on top of the picnic table next to Shizuru, and Yusuke was standing in front of Kazuma while Reigan stood in front of Shizuru.

"Is everything alright?" Reigan asked cautiously. Her sight would have warned if there was something seriously wrong with her children, wouldn't it? Surely she could still count on it for that much.

"Yes, Mother, everything's fine," Shizuru said with a small eye roll. One side of her lips was quirked up into a smile though, so that was reassuring.

"Well, can one of you tell me why we're standing around like a bunch of jackasses instead of sleeping?" Yusuke asked and crossed his arms. Reigan elbowed him, lightly, in the side with no effect. Yusuke just kept looking straight ahead at Kazuma. After a glaring contest that lasted for all of thirty seconds, Kazuma huffed and turned to look at Reigan.

"We're removing our seals," Kazuma blurted out. Shizuru groaned a little and ran a hand through her hair, and Reigan's jaw felt loose as she looked at them. They were…going to remove…the seals?

"We said we'd work her up to that," Shizuru mumbled.

"Wait, you two are gonna become half-demons?" Yusuke asked. Kazuma and Shizuru both shot him a look that seemed to scream, _duh!_

"When did you decide this?" Reigan asked before either of them could verbally answer Yusuke.

"I decided when I was fourteen, remember?" Shizuru asked and met Reigan's eyes. Reigan remembered a younger Shizuru telling her that one day she'd remove her seal to become a half-demon so that they could stay together forever, and Reigan had just swept a hand over Shizuru's hair and told her that they could talk about Shizuru's decision when she was older. Well, Shizuru was nearly forty-four and Kazuma would be twenty-seven this year. They were adults, and they were old enough to make this decision for themselves.

"I decided a few years ago, to remove the seal after graduation." Reigan felt her eyes go wide, and Kazuma quickly raised his arms outwards like he was going to grab her shoulders before quickly explaining. "We're not removin' them tonight! Just, soon. I don't want to grow old and die. I want to live with the rest of you."

"Sounds good to me," Yusuke said and grinned. Kazuma looked a little more relaxed, but he was still looking at her with slightly worried eyes. Like she'd disagree with her children staying alive for centuries instead of decades?

"Thank you!" Reigan yelled and leaped forward. One of her arms wrapped around Shizuru's neck while the other arm hooked around Kazuma's neck, and she pulled them both to her as she laughed out her immense relief.

"Get in here, cuz!" Shizuru yelled. Reigan felt Yusuke's body bump against hers as they all shifted around into a group hug, and it was several minutes before Reigan was able to talk herself into pulling away. Yusuke grumbled as he tried to pat down his hair, which Shizuru had ruffled, and Reigan kept a loose hold on Kazuma's shoulder as she pulled back.

"Thank you for telling me," Reigan said quietly.

"We want you there when we take them off. Both of you," Shizuru said and glanced between Reigan and Yusuke.

"Auntie Rei, I get, but why me?" Yusuke asked and pointed at his face. Shizuru laughed quietly, and it was Kazuma that answered him.

"Because you're family."

"Dumbass," Shizuru added.

"Don't call your cousin names," Reigan said on instinct. Shizuru smirked at her as Kazuma and Yusuke started laughing, and Reigan realized that she felt… _lighter_. Like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

"Okay, so give us a heads-up when you're ready. I'm going to bed," Yusuke announced and walked off.

"Sleep sounds like a good idea," Shizuru mumbled and slipped off the picnic table. Reigan held still so that her daughter could duck down and press a quick kiss against her cheek, and she turned her head to watch as Shizuru caught up to Yusuke. They were talking quietly as they walked towards the house, and Reigan turned back around just as Kazuma moved to stand next to her.

"Come on, Ma. Let's get some rest," Kazuma said and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Reigan leaned against her son as they walked into the house, and he leaned down so that she could smack a goodnight kiss against his cheek before he stumbled off into his own room. Reigan looked down the hallway, at all of the closed doors, and smiled a little as she walked into her own room.

Hiei was already lying in bed, with the sheets and blanket pushed down to the foot of the bed, and Reigan paused after closing the door so that she could just look at him. Five years. They'd been together for five years, and she still felt a ball of heat curl low in her stomach whenever she saw him sitting casually against the headboard. He was only wearing a pair of black sweatpants, it took her over a year to talk him into wearing them to bed in place of his usual pants, but his upper body was bare. Her eyes traced over the lines of his stomach and chest, and she lightly bit down on her bottom lip as his arms crossed.

"Would you quit staring at me and get into bed?" Hiei snapped after a moment. Reigan jumped a little and smiled at him, and she reached down to grab the bottom of her shirt.

"There are nicer ways to get me into bed, you know." She pulled her shirt over her head as soon as the words left her mouth, so she missed out on whatever miniscule expression Hiei had made. By the time her vision was unimpeded, Hiei's face was in its usual blank mask.

"What happened?" Here she was trying to flirt and he wanted to talk, which worked out perfectly because she wanted to share the good news.

She told Hiei about Shizuru and Kazuma deciding to remove their seals as she pulled off her clothes, and she was still talking as she walked into the bathroom. She didn't take a full shower, she could save washing her hair and everything for in the morning, so she left the door open as she washed off the little bit of sweat and dirt that had accumulated over the day. She told him that they wanted her and Yusuke with them when the seals came off, and she was humming happily as she walked back into the bedroom. She quickly pulled on a pair of panties and a large blue tee shirt, and she had a little skip in her step as she moved over to the bed. She crawled over Hiei, so that she was in her usual place between him and the wall, and she snuggled up to his side before smiling up at him.

"They're going to stay with me," she whispered as Hiei's eyes met hers. Her brows furrowed as Hiei's fingertips brushed over her cheekbones, until she felt moisture sliding between their skin. When did she start crying?

"I don't understand why you're surprised. You should have known neither one of them would leave you," Hiei said as he wiped away the few tears that had slipped out.

"I know. It was just a relief to hear them say it," she whispered and leaned forward. Hiei's lips were hot against hers, and she sighed into their kiss as her body relaxed against his. Arms wrapped around her waist, and Reigan made a quiet sound as Hiei shifted them to lay down on the bed.

"Rest now," Hiei said against her lips. Reigan hummed and leaned up long enough for one last kiss, and her eyes closed as she nuzzled down against Hiei's chest. Rest sounded like a good idea.

 **The Next Morning**

"Should I be concerned?" Hiei asked as Reigan tugged up a pair of dark blue shorts. She got them up to her hips and reached down for the zipper, and she raised a brow as Hiei stood next to her.

"About what?" she asked as she started to look for a clean shirt.

"About your infatuation with the fox." Hiei reached past her and plucked some fabric out of the dresser, and Reigan took the offered shirt. It was one of Hiei's, black and sleeveless, and she could tell that his scent was ingrained in the fabric before she ever slipped it on.

"I love Kurama, because he's a part of our family, but you already know that." After pulling the shirt on, she rocked forward on her toes and pressed a quick kiss against the corner of Hiei's lips. "The jealousy thing is cute though. Keep it up, and it might lead somewhere good."

"Hn." She reached up to ruffle his hair and then danced back before Hiei could knock her hand away, and she lightly kissed her fingertips and waved to him before slipping out of her bedroom.

Kurama was already in the kitchen when she walked inside, and the two of them made small talk as they ate an easy breakfast. Reigan talked about Yusuke's progress in their history lessons, because she was trying to teach her nephew more about Tourin and the rest of Demon World. It was going pretty well. Yusuke picked up on things pretty fast when he wanted to, and he had a habit of asking her questions that she'd never considered before. It kept things interesting. Kurama told her about his work in Gandara with Yomi, and it sounded like things were going well. Demon World was in a state of peace, but there was always something going on and something to do.

"I think I need some sunlight," Reigan announced once breakfast was over. Kurama nodded and smiled gratefully at her, and Reigan laced her arm through his as they started through the house. Something told her that Kurama wanted to talk away from everyone else, to avoid being overheard, and that was okay with Reigan.

They walked out towards the mountain, but they stopped right before the grass could turn to rock. Reigan could still see her statue, but they were several feet away from it. The statue didn't bother her the way that her family assumed it did, but sitting on the grass would be more comfortable than sitting at the rocky base of the mountain. Reigan sat down under the shade of a tree and leaned her back against the wide trunk, and she smiled up at Kurama as she lightly patted her knee. Kurama wasn't the type to shift or fidget; he gracefully sat down next to her, and his eyes were closed when he leaned back to lay against the grass and rest the back of his head against her thigh. His hair was fanned out across her other leg, and her hands instantly moved to start petting through his long soft hair.

"I have to make a decision soon," Kurama said quietly several minutes later. Reigan hummed a little and started to curl a lock of hair around one of her fingers. She knew that Kurama didn't need any prompting or pushing. Once he'd gathered his thoughts and was ready to continue, he'd talk. "This body will be thirty in a couple of years, but my demon energy has stopped my aging. I am worried that my family will become suspicious soon and wonder why I am not getting any older."

"So what are you going to do?" She knew that Kurama already had a plan. Kurama always had a plan. She watched Kurama's chest expand as he took in a slow breath, and she started to uncurl the hair wrapped around her finger. Just to start the process over with a new lock of hair.

"The logical thing to do is fake my own death. It will give my family closure, and I can remain in the Human World until enough time has passed." Enough time…until everyone here in the Human World that knew him had died. Then he'd be able to come back to this area without fear of being recognized.

"Or?" That couldn't be his only option. Kurama loved his family. He definitely loved his human mother. His only plan couldn't be to just leave her.

"Or I can tell my mother the truth." Kurama said it quickly and then sighed a little, and Reigan watched as a single green eye opened to look up at her.

"Do you want me to try and see?" It was a request that Reigan was used to. For centuries upon centuries, friends and family have asked her to try and see their future. This was the first time Kurama had ever asked her to try and see something for him though.

"Only if you want to. I would also like to know your opinion."

" _I respect your strength as a warrior and the wisdom that comes from a life as long as yours, but I also respect you as a mother. I may not know everything about Shizuru and Kuwabara's father, but I know that you have been a wonderful mother to them," Kurama said quietly as she cried. Somehow, he'd taken one look at her and figured out why she was crying on her daughter's birthday instead of celebrating inside with the rest of her family. She'd seen Eiji in Shizuru's eyes, and a small part of her mourned for her lover. The rest of her worried…worried that she wasn't enough for her children. (She loved Hiei, loved him so much that it took her breath away sometimes, but he wasn't the father of her two oldest children. No one could replace Eiji in that.) Kurama had looked at her and just known, and he'd said exactly what she needed to hear._

"I think that if I were your mother, I'd want to know the truth. I wouldn't want to mourn you," she answered as she forced her hands away from his hair. One hand moved to rest over his chest, over his sternum, and her other hand moved to press lightly against the top of his head. "We're not talking about me though, so I want you to focus on your mother. I want you to decide to tell her the truth. You have to mean it, Kurama. Decide to tell her the truth because she deserves to know."

It took a minute, but Reigan was prepared for the loss of her sight. Her eyes closed as shapes slowly took form behind her eyes, and her throat felt tight with tears that weren't hers.

" _My miracle child, my sweet Shuichi, I could never hate any part of you."_

Reigan relaxed back against the tree as colors slowly returned, and she blinked to get everything back in focus. Once she was sure that she was seeing clearly, she looked down. Both of Kurama's eyes were open as he looked up at her, and the carefully blank expression on his face let her know that she'd spoken aloud. She smiled as she moved her hands away from his chest and forehead, and she started to slowly run her fingers through his hair again as he continued to look up at her.

"It's not my place to tell you what to do. The decision is yours. That being said, in my opinion, you should tell your mother the truth. Because she's going to love you no matter what. She's your mother, you're her son. She'll always love you." The whispers at the back of Reigan's mind confirmed everything she was saying, but she didn't need her sight to know that she was telling the truth. As a mother, she knew she was right.

"Thank you, Reigan," Kurama said quietly as his eyes closed again. Reigan continued to run her fingers through his hair, because she had a feeling that he needed a little time to compose himself. This must had been weighing heavily on his mind for quite some time.

"Anytime," Reigan whispered and leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree. She was content to just sit outside with Kurama for now.

 **One Year And One Month Later**

The house was oddly quiet as Reigan walked through it, which was a little odd considering it was everyone's off day. Someone should have been around making noise. The upstairs was completely empty, and there was no one in the kitchen when Reigan stopped in for a quick snack. Curious, she walked through the rest of the house. She could hear the TV playing in the den, so that was where she went next. All she could see was black hair, but it was slicked back instead of sticking straight up so she knew who it was. She collapsed onto the couch next to Yusuke and got distracted by an explosion on the screen for a moment. Three explosions and a car chase later, she shook her head and then looked over at Yusuke.

"Where is everyone?" Yusuke glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and then quickly returned his attention to the screen as he shrugged.

"Botan's with Koenma. Don't know about the others," he said and then yelled as one actor punched the other in the face.

"Hiei's spending the day with Yukina." Reigan leaned up and twisted around to look over the back of the couch, and Shizuru smiled a little when their eyes met. Well, that explained where he'd disappeared to.

"Where's Kazuma?" Reigan asked as Shizuru moved to sit down on the floor in front of the couch. She sat down so that she was facing Yusuke and Reigan, instead of the TV, and Reigan tilted her head a little as she looked down at her daughter.

"I'm here!" Kazuma slid around the end of the couch a moment later, and his tall body blocked the TV. Yusuke immediately started protesting, but a quick kick from Shizuru shut him up. She also had a very stern look on her face as she glared up at her cousin, and Yusuke grumbled angrily under his breath as he grabbed the remote and switched the TV off. Kazuma smiled and dropped to the floor to sit next to Shizuru, and they both looked up at Yusuke and Reigan.

"Why are we having a family meeting?" Yusuke finally asked. Kazuma and Shizuru shared a look, and something in Reigan's mind just _clicked_.

"So, it's today," Reigan said quietly.

"What's today?" Reigan looked over at her nephew and pointedly raised a brow, and his eyes widened a little as realization struck. "Oh! Finally leveling up?"

"Don't make me kick your ass, kid," Shizuru said as the knuckles on her left hand made a quiet cracking sound. Yusuke crossed his arms and leaned back against the couch, and Reigan pulled her legs up onto the couch as she leaned forward.

"I wanted to make sure I was ready before I took the seal off, because there's no going back after this. Once this thing comes off, I'm a half-demon. That's it," Kazuma said and shrugged a little.

"Yeah, I get it," Yusuke said in that same quiet tone. Reigan remembered watching Yusuke struggle as he tried to understand how he could be both a human and a demon, especially after risking his life so many times to fight against demons. She imagined it had been the same for Kazuma. Her son fought against demons, but his closest friends were also demons. Still, changing species was always a big change.

"How do we, uh, how do we remove them?" Kazuma asked and looked up at her. Shizuru was looking at her as well, and she wouldn't be surprised if Yusuke was looking at the back of her head and waiting for her to speak.

"Just put your hand over the seal and push some of your energy into it. If you want to remove it, that'll do it," Reigan explained. In a way, her children were lucky. Her seal was removed because some demon killed her in a cave, and Yusuke's demon genetics were activated after he died for a second time. Kazuma and Shizuru had made the decision all on their own.

"No point in waiting around," Shizuru said and shifted so that her left leg was a little ahead of her. She reached down to pull up her pants leg, just enough to expose the circular scar on her ankle, and Reigan was nearly sitting on the end of her couch cushion as Shizuru placed a hand over the scar.

A spark of energy shone from under Shizuru's palm, and it felt like a gust of wind swept through the house. When the brief wind died down, Shizuru moved her hand. The skin over her ankle was smooth, not a single scar in sight, and she tapped one long finger against her ankle bone. The energy inside of Shizuru felt different, but nothing else had changed. Shizuru still looked barely twenty-five, her light brown hair still fell over her shoulders, and a pair of whisky brown eyes looked up at Reigan.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Yusuke drawled.

"Yeah, it's kind of a letdown after all of the hype," Shizuru said with a quiet laugh. The three of them then all turned to look at Kazuma, who stopped looking at Shizuru and looked down at his left leg instead.

"Guess it's my turn," he muttered and pull up his pants leg a little. He had the same circular scar on his left ankle, and he held a hand over it. Bright yellow energy surrounded his hand, and Reigan waited to see if there would be another gust of wind.

"Shit!" Yusuke yelled as the couch was suddenly flipped over. Yusuke and Reigan were both tossed off the couch as it tipped over backwards, and Reigan heard glass breaking under the strong gust of wind. Then there was the sound of scrambling footsteps, and Reigan blinked as she met Shizuru's eyes.

"You okay, Mother?" Shizuru asked as she pulled her into a sitting position. Kazuma was hovering over Yusuke, who was still sprawled on his back.

"I'm okay. Kazuma?" Reigan looked up at her son, but he looked the same. Curly dark orange hair, eyes such a dark blue that they appeared black, and so tall that she nearly got a crick in her neck as she looked up at him.

"Feel the same," Kazuma shrugged.

"The no heartbeat thing is kind of weird though," Shizuru said.

Kazuma and Shizuru both went quiet, like they were focusing intently on their lack of a steady heartbeat, and Yusuke started laughing. Quietly, at first, just a few chuckles. The quiet laughter quickly turned into loud guffaws that caused his whole body to shake, and Reigan watched as Kazuma joined in. Followed by Shizuru's own husky laughter. It must have been contagious, because she was laughing along with them a second later. The laughter might have gone on for hours if Yusuke hadn't suddenly grabbed Kazuma's ankles and yanked, and Reigan scooted to the side as Kazuma fell into the space between Yusuke and Reigan. Shizuru slowly lowered herself down so that she was sitting next to where Kazuma was now sitting up, as he yelled at a still laughing Yusuke, and Reigan felt a knot in her chest loosen as Shizuru smiled softly at her.

"My babies are going to live forever!" Reigan yelled and leapt forward. Shizuru caught her, and the two women knocked into Kazuma. The three of them landed on top of Yusuke, who finally stopped laughing, and Reigan felt two pairs of arms wrapping tight around her.

"We're not going anywhere, Ma," Kazuma whispered.

"You're stuck with us, Mother."

"Yeah, Auntie Rei. Stuck with us forever." Reigan squeezed her eyes shut as she was surrounded by her blood, and she tightened her hold around…she couldn't even tell at this point. All four of them were just a tangle of limbs.

"I can live with that."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** So, as you can tell, there was a big time jump in this chapter. The next two chapters or so will open with the new "Present Time" in 2025, and the chapters will tell what's happened up to that point. It's like how the beginning of this story was, but it won't be as drawn out. I also feel like there hasn't been enough Hiei in this story lately, so there'll be a lot of him in the next chapter!

Here's a link to the picture that I based the fire pit off of, if you want a visual. Just remove the spaces:

i50 . photobucket (dot com) / albums / f336 / TotidemVerbis / 25FirePit _ zps2ccpqeuk . jpg

Remember, if you want to read something while waiting for the next update, you can read my new YYH story _**Rinse and Repeat**_. I'm having a lot of fun writing it, and I'd love to know reader's thoughts on it! And you can come talk to me on tumblr at _tv-writes-ff . tumblr . com_

 **SakiHanajima1:** I'm sorry you didn't like all the confusing bits in the last chapter! I promise that everything will be explained, pretty soon actually, but this chapter was pretty straight forward to make up for it! Haha, Yusuke and Botan are adorable together, aren't they? There was like a small pinch of…Yutan? Is that their ship name? Do they have a ship name?...Yusuke and Botan in this chapter, and they'll have some more moments in the next chapter! Yeah, Mukuro and Rei have history. Unfortunately, a lot of is blocked. I'll try to get to the explanations as quickly as possible. Thank you for the review!

 **backoff22:** Yes, confusion was the point. So it's okay to be confused. I know the whole story, and I'm even a little confused. You're right though, a little mystery in a story is a good thing. I gotta make readers want to keep reading, right? Thank you for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** Rei and Hiei are both pretty stubborn, huh? They just can't seem to help themselves. This chapter had plenty of fluff to make up for it though. Hmm, you might be on to something there, but I can neither confirm nor deny. Thank you for the review!


	26. I Think It's Beautiful

**Author's Note:** This chapter was going to be longer, but I decided to cut it off for a good reason! The next chapter is going to be very long and tooth-rotting fluffy, and then the story will pick up in the "Present Time" of 2025 and explain what's going on with Shikaku!

 **Slight Warning:** Semi-graphic sex scene at the end. Feel free to skip it.

 **Post Date:** 02 August 2017

 **Word Count:** 6555

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Six  
** **I Think It's Beautiful**

 **Present: March 2025**

"So you got to have your whole family together," Shikaku sighed with a small smile. Reigan shifted in her chair and laced her fingers through Shikaku's again, and it looked like the raven had to fight to open her eye.

"Yes, I did. I never wanted to pressure my children, because I knew it was important for them to make the decision. Still didn't stop me from crying in relief when they removed their seals," Reigan admitted with a small smile of her own.

"How long did it take for you to move back to Tourin after that? When did Tourin's ruler return?" Before Raizen took the throne, Shikaku was Tourin's general. The raven told Reigan once that Tourin was her true home and that she'd do anything to keep it safe. Shikaku loved Tourin just as much as Reigan did.

"We moved a year later, but moving had its own challenges."

 **Past: June 2004**

"Yusuke! The palace already has furniture!" Reigan yelled as Yusuke tried to sneak his bed out of his bedroom window. She was standing in the backyard with her feather already floating in the air, and Yusuke was going to be the last one to move his stuff.

When the whole house got together to talk about moving to Tourin a couple of weeks ago, Reigan assumed it'd still be a few years before the big move. To her surprise, everyone was ready.

Hiei's answer had been obvious. He had learned to tolerate the Human World, but he preferred the Demon World.

Yusuke thought it was finally time for him to start being responsible and to start ruling the way he was meant to, so Reigan had promised him that her and Hokushin would be with him every step of the way.

Kazuma had worked at a veterinarian clinic in the nearby town for the past year, and he'd been talking to Enki whenever they visited the Demon World over the past several years. Together, they'd realized that Kazuma's knowledge of various animal physiologies and perfect control over his spirit energy would make him into an excellent healer. Kazuma wanted to move to Tourin and start a hospital, since there weren't many in the Demon World. The weaker demons that were wounded and didn't have the energy to heal themselves usually just died, so a hospital was a good idea.

Shizuru was ready for something different, and Koto and Juri had been begging her to join them on their show for a few years. Mostly ever since televisions became popular in the Demon World. Shizuru was ready to accept, and she wanted to live in Demon World to make it easier.

Botan took a little convincing. None of them wanted to leave her behind, but she hadn't been sure about living in the Demon World when Koenma only gave her permission to stay in the Human World. Yusuke had been the one to grab Botan's phone and call Koenma, and he'd basically told the prince that Botan was coming with him to help him keep his kingdom from burning down. Koenma had laughed and agreed, and that was the end of that.

After the decision was made, Yukina asked them if she could come with them as well. Hiei would never deny his sister anything, and Reigan had laughed as she hugged the ice maiden and told her that she was always welcome in Tourin. Yukina wanted to see more of the Demon World, and her and Kazuma had immediately started making plans for the new hospital that was going to be built close to the palace.

Reigan hadn't needed any convincing. Aoyama was her village, but Tourin was her home. She missed the Demon World, and she knew that she'd always be able to come back to Aoyama to visit. She also had a feeling that Genkai would be overjoyed at the solitude with all of them gone.

So, they'd started packing up the essentials and began the slow move to Demon World. Reigan and Botan transported all of their important household items first, like the kitchen appliances and den decorations that they didn't want to part with. Then Reigan moved out one person a day. Hiei had moved first, which meant that she had technically moved first. The two of them packed up their room and transported all of their things to Tourin first, and it had only taken two trips. For the next several days, Reigan moved everyone's belongings right after the other. The next day, Yukina's few belongings were moved. Then Shizuru's room, followed by Kazuma's things, and she'd moved all of Botan's possessions the day before. Yusuke was the only one left, and he was being stubborn.

"I'm not leaving my bed!" Yusuke yelled down at her. The feather was already loaded down with boxes and duffel bags, and there was no way that she'd be able to fit an entire bed on the feather. Not on this trip anyway.

"We'll get it on the next trip!" Yusuke smiled at his victory and left the bed sitting halfway on the balcony, and he jumped over the railing with a loud yell. It was almost like looking up and watching Raizen…but Reigan was quick to push that thought away. Yusuke was still grinning as he walked up to her, and Reigan couldn't stop her lips from turning upwards. She loved seeing her nephew so happy. "Let's go."

The ride back to Tourin didn't take long, and they spent the trip talking about how they were going to start building the new hospital. It was a good way to pass the time, and Reigan was almost surprised when the palace came into view. They made it back faster than she'd been expecting, and she flew the feather straight up to Yusuke's room. Yusuke jumped down onto his balcony and opened the door so they could easily move his stuff inside his room, and it didn't take long to unload the feather with them working together. They were just getting ready to head back to the Human World to get Yusuke's bed when his bedroom door flew open, and Botan slid into the room with her hair in disarray and her breathing erratic.

"Is everything okay?" Reigan asked quickly. Botan straightened up and tried to flatten down her hair, and her pink eyes were wide as she looked at them.

"Everything's fine! It's just, we have company? Chu and Jin have been asking for you, and there's others here too. Touya, Rinku, Suzuka, Shishiwakamaru, Koto, Ruka, Juri, Kujou, Natsume…there's just so many of them," Botan said and then started laughing. The poor thing looked frazzled, and Reigan reached up to grab Yusuke's shoulder.

"Go entertain your guests. I'll get the bed," she told him and gave him a push towards Botan.

"But—"

"But nothing. Your friends came here to see you, and you shouldn't keep them waiting. I can get the bed. Go." Reigan waved off Yusuke's protests and hopped back up onto her feather, and she waved to Yusuke and Botan before taking off again. She could hear loud yelling and even louder laughter as she moved higher in the air, and she smiled before turning in the direction of the barrier. The palace was already feeling like home.

 **Two Months Later/August 2004**

"Your friends are ridiculous," Hiei huffed as he sat down next to her. Reigan looked away from the large gathering of her friends, who were mingling down below the hill that Reigan was currently sitting on, and over at Hiei.

"I think it's beautiful," she said and smiled at him. Natsume and Chu finally made things official, and Reigan loved seeing the happy look on Natsume's face. The younger demon deserved to be happy and loved, and Reigan knew that Chu would make sure that she laughed and that she was loved. Reigan couldn't ask for more.

"Why do we have to celebrate it?" Hiei asked her. Mating ceremonies were pretty common, but she could understand why Hiei found them confusing. He was raised by bandits, and she had a feeling that bandits never took the time to celebrating two demons mating.

"Because Natsume and Chu are happy, and they want their friends and family to celebrate their love. It's a chance for everyone to show their support and to wish them well." Hiei made a quiet grunting sound as he crossed his arms, and Reigan leaned to the side so that she could rest her head against his shoulder. Later, she'll probably join her friends in the celebration. She'll dance and rejoice along with everyone else, but she was quite comfortable next to Hiei for the moment.

"We will not have a celebration after mating." Hiei's tone was decisive, and Reigan bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from smiling. It was rare for Hiei to talk about their future, and he'd just admitted that he believed they'd get mated one day. She wanted to question him about it, wanted to ask how serious he was about the two of them taking the next step in their relationship, but she remained quiet for the time being. She'll question him later. Right now, she had a another plan.

"Let's dance!"

 **.xXx.**

Reigan stretched her legs out as she got comfortable on the grass, and she turned her head so that her cheek was pressed against Hiei's thigh. Strong fingers lightly combed through her hair, carefully removing the tangles caused by their sparring session, and Reigan hummed as her body slowly relaxed. She was sweaty and coated in dirt, she was bloody in a few places as well, but she felt amazing. Natsume and Chu's mating celebration only lasted for two nights, so it was no surprise that she felt a little restless only a week later. She was used to dancing and fighting for at least a week or more during a celebration, which Hiei must have noticed because he challenged her to a spar after breakfast.

"So, we're going to skip the celebration part of our mating, huh?" Since Reigan wasn't looking up at him, she had no idea what expression Hiei made after she asked the question. His careful petting never faltered though, so her question must not have surprised him too much.

"Yes," Hiei said curtly.

"And how long have you been planning our mating?" This time his hand stilled, and Reigan rolled her head so that she could look up at him. It was hard to tell because of the shade from the tree they were under, but she could have sworn that Hiei was blushing. Just a light dusting of pink across his cheeks. He could have just written it off as a leftover of their sparring match. "I'm only teasing. We've been together for seven years, we love each other, and our energies are compatible. Most demons would have mated _ages_ ago."

"You've never asked." Reigan felt her brows drawing together in confusion, and Hiei made a quiet huffing noise before looking down to meet her eyes. It took another moment but then it clicked. Reigan was usually the one that brought up serious topics. Not because Hiei didn't want to talk about the serious stuff, but he still wasn't the best at expressing himself verbally. (Unless he was insulting someone. He was very good at that.) So he'd been waiting for her to bring up the subject of them mating.

"I saw you, remember? Over three thousand years before you were born. I always knew we'd be together, but it's more than just destiny. I love you, because you're _you_. Stubborn, ornery, short-tempered, rude—"

"Is there a point to this?" Hiei interrupted. Reigan smiled at the irritated look on his face and reached up to cup his cheek in one palm.

"On our five year anniversary, you convinced everyone to leave the house. You had Botan set up music at the gazebo, and we had dinner and danced. I know you hate dancing, but you did it anyway because you know how much I love dancing. You're trained my daughter into a strong fighter and told my son that you respected him because you knew that he needed to hear it. There's goodness in you, under the gruff exterior."

"Point?" Hiei asked again. Reigan sighed and let her hand fall, and Hiei started running his fingers through her hair again.

"My point, is that I didn't bring it up because I didn't want you to think I was only asking because of that whole pre-ordained destiny thing. I'm already planning on spending the rest of my life with you. The rest is up to you," she said and shrugged. Well, she tried to shrug. It was a little difficult since she was lying down with her head on Hiei's lap.

"I—"

"Hiei? May I have a word?" Hiei's expression darkened at the sound of the new voice, but Reigan smiled pleasantly up at Touya. He, and many of the others, had been in Tourin since they moved a little over two months ago.

"What do you want?" Hiei snapped. Reigan lightly pinched his thigh, but his glare didn't waver as he looked up at Touya. She knew that he hated being interrupted, but he had no reason to be so rude. Not to Touya. In her opinion, Touya was the most well-mannered of all their demon friends.

"I would like your blessing to court Yukina." Reigan's jaw dropped a little at the blunt request, and she watched as a muscle under Hiei's right eye twitched. This probably wasn't going to end well. When Hiei remained silent, Touya continued. "It would mean a lot to Yukina, to both of us, if we had your blessing."

Reigan tensed up as a gust of air washed over her, and she realized that the back of her head was no longer braced against Hiei's thigh. Instead, her head was being cushioned by Hiei's cloak. The cloak that Hiei wasn't wearing because he'd attacked Touya, but it looked like the ice master had been able to avoid being beheaded. That was good. Reigan groaned as she forced her tired body into a sitting position, and she had just managed to stagger to her feet when she heard quick footsteps heading her way. She held one arm out as someone attempted to run past the tree, and she turned her head to smile at Yukina's worried expression.

"What are they doing?" Yukina asked quickly. Reigan let her arm fall, because she didn't think Yukina was going to try to interrupt the two fighting demons.

"Touya asked Hiei for his blessing to court you, so Hiei's fighting him to make sure he's worthy," Reigan said with a quick wink. Yukina's pale cheeks flushed a little, but her wide red eyes still looked worried. So Reigan decided to ask. "So, Touya, huh? When'd that happen?"

"Oh, I'm not really sure. We always spend time together when I visit, and being around him…He makes me happy." The smile on Yukina's face was small, but Reigan could practically feel the happiness radiating off of the ice maiden. Reigan thinks of Yukina as her sister, they might as well be at this point, and she could tell that watching her brother and her…possible future lover fight was upsetting Yukina.

"I'm happy to hear it," Reigan said as sincerely as possible. Then she turned away from Yukina to face the two fighting demons and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hiei! Stop being such an idiot! Touya makes Yukina happy! Killing him will make her sad!"

"Hiei wouldn't kill him." The certainty in Yukina's tone was heart-warming, and Reigan smiled a little as she glanced over at Yukina.

"I'm sure he wouldn't, but he'll be more inclined to stop if he thinks he's upsetting you." Despite Reigan's yell though, the two demons just kept at it.

Reigan sighed and then dropped back to the ground, and she looked up at Yukina as she patted the ground next to her. After watching Hiei and Touya fight for a few more moments, Yukina glanced at the ground and then sat down a lot more gracefully than Reigan had. Reigan smiled and then wrapped Hiei's cloak around her, and her and Yukina were quiet as they watched the fight. It was an interesting one, to see how fire and ice constantly canceled each other out. They were hitting the half hour mark when something crashed against Reigan's back, and she heard Yukina laughing quietly as she struggled to sit up straight again.

"I got you, Auntie Rei!" a childish voice yelled in her ear. Reigan carefully leaned forward and flipped the small body over her shoulder, and she heard high-pitched giggles as the little girl landed in her lap.

"When'd you get here, Takara?" Bright golden eyes peered up at her from under curly brown hair, and Reigan reached down to carefully push her hair back. Carefully, because the six year old was starting to grow horns just like her father's on top of her head.

"Jus' now!" the little girl yelled with a loud grin. Reigan couldn't help but wonder if Kokou was this energetic as a child.

"Just you?" Reigan asked and lightly danced her fingers over the little girl's ribs. Takara laughed and wiggled around, and she laid spread out across Reigan's lap to take a few breaths once Reigan stopped.

"Nope! I came with Mama, Papa, Mukuro, and that bastard!" Yukina gasped quietly next to them, and Reigan had to hold back a groan. That bastard had to mean Yomi, and Reigan tapped her finger against the end of Takara's nose.

"That's a bad word. His name is Yomi." Takara's expression turned stubborn, her little brows pulled down while she pursed her lips, and Reigan waited to see what the little girl would say next.

"Mama says I can say it because it's his name. That bastard," Takara declared and crossed her little arms. Yukina laughed quietly, like she was trying to hold it in, and Reigan sighed. Takara was definitely Kokou's daughter. No doubt about it.

"Remind me to have a talk with your mother about your potty mouth," Reigan mumbled and looked up. Hiei and Touya were standing still, and Reigan's eyes widened the smallest amount as she took in the scene. The tip of Hiei's sword was pressed under Touya's chin, and the end of Touya's ice sword was pressed against Hiei's chest. One wrong move from either of them would kill the other. "I think it's time to break them up."

"Right," Yukina said and got to her feet. Reigan wrapped her arms around Takara and got to her feet, and the little goat wrapped her arms around Reigan's neck as she was balanced on her hip. Reigan matched her strides with Yukina's, and she could just barely hear the low tone of Hiei's voice as they got closer. She wasn't able to hear what he said, but Touya nodded.

"It's about time," Reigan huffed as Hiei and Touya separated. They both stepped back at the same time, and the weapons disappeared. Yukina went to Touya's side, but her eyes were focused on Hiei. Reigan waited for Hiei to say something meaningful, or at least reassuring, but he just dipped his chin instead. It must have been enough for Yukina, because she smiled so wide that small dimples appeared in her cheeks.

"Thank you, brother."

Takara started playing with the hair that had come loose from Reigan's braid as Reigan watched Yukina and Touya walk away, and she was still looking at their outlines when she felt Hiei's eyes on her. She blinked to wet her dry eyes and then turned her head, and she quickly looked over the new bruises and cuts on Hiei's body. He didn't look too hurt, but his jaw still looked tense as he pointedly turned his body away from the direction his sister had just walked. She'll have to get him to talk later.

"Let's go find your mama, hmm?" Reigan asked the six year old on her hip.

"Yeah!" She stepped to the side and laced her arm through Hiei's, and she started pulling on him as she walked towards Tourin's palace.

 **One Month Later/September 2004**

"Mother! You're being ridiculous! So are you, Yomi!" Shizuru's loud yell echoed around the hills, because Yomi and Reigan were fighting in a small valley close to the palace.

"Yomi knows the rules!" Reigan yelled back before dodging a kick aimed at her head. Yomi gracefully moved out of the kick to throw a punch at her, and Reigan ducked down low before springing up to jab an elbow against his chest.

"You challenged him to a duel!" Shizuru sounded a mixture of confused and angry, and Yomi and Reigan both laughed as they dodged and blocked punches. "Are you going to do this when Kazuma starts dating?!"

"Yes!" Reigan answered and leapt into the air. She tried to kick Yomi's face in, but he grabbed her ankle at the last second and sent her sailing through the air. She managed to twist around so that her feet hit the hill instead of her head, and she sucked in a breath before pushing off against the hillside.

" _And you called me irrational for fighting Touya last month?"_ Hiei's voice sounded in her head just as she got Yomi in a headlock, and she grunted as Yomi's knee made contact with her stomach.

" _You were actually testing Touya, which was irrational because you already know that Touya is strong and honorable. I'm fighting Yomi because it's fun. I know he'll take care of my little girl."_

Reigan twisted around Yomi's body until her legs locked around his neck, and the goat was quick to jump into the air and start coming back down so that she'd hit the ground first. Reigan leapt away from him, and they both went rolling across the ground. Reigan could hear Yomi laughing as they rolled in the dirt, and her own laughter started after she fell still. She could hear some of the others cheering, Kazuma and Yusuke were especially loud, and her chest heaved as she turned her head to look over at Yomi.

" _Your little girl is planning matricide,"_ Hiei told her as her giggles died down.

"It appears we are more evenly matched these days," Yomi laughed as he got to his feet. The last time they fought was over a millennia ago, when he was still young. When he still had his sight.

"Only because I'm not fighting with my weapons," Reigan said as he stopped in front of her. He extended a hand down towards her, and Reigan reached up so he could pull her to her feet. She knocked some of the dirt off of her and then looked up at Yomi. "She hasn't had it easy, but she looks at peace when she's with you. Take care of her, Yomi, or I won't go easy on you next time."

"I will do everything in my power to keep her happy, but not for you." It was the perfect answer, and Reigan smiled as she clapped a hand against Yomi's shoulder. He smiled as he inclined his head towards her, and Reigan looked up at the top of a hill at the small gathering of spectators.

"Who's fighting him next?!" she called up. Yusuke and Kazuma both started running down the hillside, and Reigan laughed as she looked up at Yomi again. "Good luck."

"Every hit is worth it," Yomi said with a chuckle. Reigan stepped back as Kazuma and Yusuke hit Yomi head-on, and she was still laughing quietly as she carefully made her way up the hill. She collapsed down to sit next to Hiei, who was watching the fight below them with an almost bored expression on his face. Shizuru was standing on her other side and yelling down at her idiotic family. Those were Shizuru's words. Not Reigan's.

"This is your fault. They think they're testing his worthiness," Shizuru grumbled as she dropped down to sit next to Reigan. Hiei made a quiet sound in his throat, something between a grunt and a laugh, and Reigan sighed as she leaned against Hiei's side. Then she looked over at Shizuru, whose whole attention was focused on the fight below her.

"He told me that he was serious about courting you. Demons only use the word courting if they're planning on mating at some point, and that's serious business." Shizuru's light brown eyes cut over at her, and Reigan gentled her smile. "I also know that you are perfectly capable of making your own decisions, and I trust that Yomi truly cares about you. Dueling is old-fashioned, but it's fun."

"That would explain the laughter," Shizuru sighed. Down below, Yomi laughed as he fought against Yusuke and Kazuma. It sounded like Reigan's son and nephew were laughing as well.

"We only duel because we love you," Reigan said as Hiei's arm wrapped low around her back. This time when Shizuru looked over at her, her eyes were soft and there was the beginning of a smile on her face.

"Love you too, Mother." Thin and strong fingers gripped Reigan's hand, and they both turned to watch the rest of the fight.

 **Three Months Later/December 2004**

"It's too soon." Reigan looked away from where Yukina was standing to see Hiei standing beside her with his arms tightly crossed. There was a muscle jumping in his jaw, and Reigan wouldn't be surprised if Touya spontaneously combusted in a few moments.

"I think they showed amazing restraint." Red eyes turned to glare at her, and Reigan grinned despite having Hiei's death glare aimed right at her. She'd faced scarier things than Hiei's angry face.

"They only courted for four months," he ground out after a moment.

"Most demons barely wait four weeks," she pointed out. She looked around at Tourin's crowded ballroom, at all of the beings gathered together to celebrate Yukina and Touya's mating, and all she could feel was happiness. She wasn't about to let Hiei's grumpy mood bring her down. "How would you feel if Yukina glared at me after our mating?"

Next to her, Hiei sighed and slowly relaxed his tense arms. He didn't uncross them, but he looked a little less grumpy. After another moment, he took a few steps backwards so that he could sit down at one of the tables lining the perimeter of the room. Reigan hopped back a few steps and collapsed into his lap, and she heard Hiei grunt quietly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She felt his cheek press between her shoulder blades as he took in a few deep breaths, and she danced her fingers along his arms as he pulled himself together.

" _She's happy. I know that's all you've ever wanted for her. To be happy,"_ Reigan thought. Hiei tightened his arms for a second, so she knew that he could hear her. Yukina was the first being that Hiei ever loved, so she could understand his behavior. It wasn't that he didn't like Touya; he just worried about his sister, about his twin.

" _Tell me something to distract me."_

Reigan looked around the ballroom, and her eyes immediately went to her children. Kazuma was sitting between Athena and Kokou, and Takara was perched on his shoulders. The three adults were laughing while Takara played with Kazuma's curly hair with a serene smile on her face. On the other side of the ballroom, Shizuru was dancing with Yomi. They both managed to look graceful as they twirled around, and Reigan caught a glimpse of Shizuru's soft smile before she was turned around again. Yusuke was close by, and he was dancing with Botan while Dionysus sat at their feet and played a flute. Kurama was seated at a table and talking quietly with Mukuro, their heads were bent close together, but neither of them looked worried. Enki's booming laughter was outside, where he was fighting against Jin and Souketsu.

" _Kujou and Juri…they're going to have a son. He's going to be beautiful,"_ Reigan thought as she looked at where Juri was laughing with Koto and Ruka.

" _We already know that."_ Even Hiei's mental voice was huffy, and Reigan relaxed back against him. She felt his chin hook over her shoulder, and she pressed her temple against the side of his head.

" _They just announced that they're having a baby, that's all. They don't know that it's going to be a boy."_ Jin swept through the room and plucked Ruka up, and Reigan could hear the two redheads laughing as they started dancing in midair. Koto and Juri were laughing as well, until Suzuka's hand grabbed Koto's and pulled her onto the dancefloor. Juri was looking at her friends with a small smile as arms wound around her waist, and she instantly fell back against Kujou. Chu moved to stand in front of Juri, probably because Natsume was on his back and wanted to talk to her brother and his mate.

" _Why are you smiling like that?"_ Hiei's nose lightly nudged the small indent in her cheek, because she was grinning so wide that her cheeks were dimpled, and she traced her fingers over the black dragon on his arm.

" _Juri isn't the only mother-to-be. Natsume's only a few weeks behind her."_ She heard Hiei sigh, and she closed her eyes. _"What? I like babies. It means our family is getting bigger."_

" _Hn."_

"Ma! Dance with us!"

"Dance with us, Auntie Rei!" Kazuma was standing in the middle of the dancefloor and waving his arms, and Takara was standing on his shoulders as she waved her arms in the exact same way.

" _Yes, children are a blessing."_ Hiei's mental voice was full of sarcasm, and Reigan twisted around so that she could press a kiss against Hiei's cheek.

"They really are," she whispered and then quickly sprung to her feet. "Save a dance for me!"

 **Seven Months Later/July 2005**

Reigan tossed her head back as she laughed, and Yusuke was laughing so hard that his entire face had turned red. They were sitting across from each other at the dinner table, so Reigan had a perfect view of her nephew as he had his laughing fit. On her left, Shizuru kept trying to hold in her laughter and failing. On her right, Hiei sat quietly but the tight grip on her knee let her know that he found the situation amusing. On Hiei's other side, Kurama was refraining from laughing but still had a smile on his face. Across from Kurama, next to Yusuke, Botan was laughing against Yukina's shoulder while the ice maiden smiled at Hiei and Reigan. On Yusuke's other side, Kazuma was sitting with his arms tightly crossed and glaring over at Yusuke.

"Your face!" Yusuke yelled. Kazuma made a loud sound of protest, something that sounded close to a squawk, and the whole table started laughing. Loudly.

"Shut up, Urameshi! My mom just married one of my friends! It's a weird situation!" Kazuma yelled.

"You already knew they were banging!" Yusuke countered. Reigan felt her face heat up as Botan turned to smack Yusuke's shoulder, and Shizuru reached over to grab her hand.

"It took you two long enough, and we _both_ support you," Shizuru said with a pointed look at her brother. Kazuma stopped glaring at Yusuke to look over at her, and Reigan felt her face return to normal as her son smiled warmly at her.

"I am happy for you, Ma. You too, Hiei," Kazuma said and flicked his eyes over at Hiei.

"I am happy for you as well, brother," Yukina said and smiled at both of them. The hand on Reigan's knee tightened as Hiei turned to look at his sister, but Reigan couldn't analyze their silent conversation because Yusuke was staring at her with a curious look on his face.

"Do I even want to ask what that look is for?" Reigan asked her nephew.

"Did you talk about it, or did it just happen?"

"Yusuke! You can't ask things like that!" Botan's entire face was red as she yelled, and Reigan laughed as Kazuma and Shizuru started to look a little uncomfortable. Reigan grabbed the hand on her knee and laced her fingers through Hiei's before raising their now joined hands to rest on top of the table.

"You really wanna know?" Reigan asked and raised a brow. Kazuma instantly started shaking his head, and Yusuke looked at their clasped hands before looking at Hiei and then finally looking at her again.

"Nope. Too weird." Hiei's fingers tightened around hers, and she smiled as she leaned to the side to rest her head on Hiei's shoulder.

" _How would you have answered him?"_ Hiei asked her. She listened as everyone seated around the dinner table started to talk, about something other than her recent mating, and she nuzzled against Hiei's shoulder a little.

" _With the truth."_

 **.xXx.**

"You're sure about this?" Reigan asked and looked over her shoulder. They were about a day's run away from the palace, and their family and closest friends, but the area was green unlike the usual deserts that covered Tourin.

"Are you?" Hiei countered. Reigan grinned as she turned around to face him, and she held her arms out as she let her head fall back. She let thoughts of Hiei overwhelm all of her senses, and she listened carefully to the whispers at the back of her mind.

"In over seven thousand years, I never mated with anyone. Mating isn't forever, it's not permanent. It's just an exchange of energy, a sharing of energy, that can be cut off at any time. Important and meaningful, yes, but not forever. Still, I never mated with any of my lovers." Reigan let her head fall forward, and red eyes met hers as she smiled. "Seven thousand years, Hiei, and you're the only one I've ever wanted in this way."

She tried to think of something else to say, to let Hiei know that this was her decision and had nothing to do with destiny, but she could already feel Hiei's energy rising. Maybe she got through to him after all. She smiled as she let her own energy out, instead of suppressing it, and she opened her arms again. This time Hiei stepped towards her, and Reigan leaned up on her toes as her arms wound around his shoulders. When his eyes met hers, she thought he was going to say something. She held still and waited as his eyes darkened, and she was just about to speak again when rough hands lightly gripped her face.

Reigan's fingers tangled in Hiei's hair as he kissed her, and she could feel his energy brushing against hers as she took a step forward and pushed their bodies together. One of his hands cupped her jaw to angle her head back and deepen their kiss, and his other hand traced over her side and then slipped around her back. The fabric of her shirt was bunched up in his fist as his tongue dipped inside of her mouth, and Reigan made a quiet sound in her throat as she released his hair and reached down.

The sound of her shirt ripping was muted as fangs nipped at her lip, and Hiei soothed the small sting with his tongue as his hands moved over her newly bared skin. Reigan moaned again as her bare skin moved against Hiei's clothed chest, and her fingers clawed against his arms as she pushed up to taste him. He was usually the more aggressive one, the one who held her where he wanted her and bruised her lips, but he held back and let her move her lips against his. Reigan lost track of time as their lips parted and reconnected, over and over, but it didn't feel like much time had passed before it wasn't enough.

Hiei pulled back away from her and pulled her hands off of the back of his neck, and she had to bite her lip and clench her hands into fists to stop herself from reaching for him. He kicked his boots off first, in the direction of her ruined shirt, and her fingers scrambled against the belt holding her pants up. It was like a race to see who could remove their clothing the fastest. A race that Reigan won, because she was only wearing a belt and baggy pants. Once her clothes were tossed aside, she stepped forward to pull off Hiei's shirt while he worked on his pants.

As soon as the pants were kicked to the side, they were pressed together again. Reigan tightened her arms around Hiei's neck as his hands gripped her hips, and she leaned up to press their lips together as she jumped up. Her legs locked around his waist as his lips parted for her, and she could feel her skin heating up as rough hands pulled at her thighs. Pulled her closer. Wasn't close enough. She whined low in her throat as her hips rolled, and she felt her energy surge in the air around them.

" _I'm ready. Don't have to…don't have to get me ready. Please."_ Her mental voice sounded desperate, but she didn't care because Hiei fisted a hand in her hair and then dropped to his knees. Her lips were still brushing his as she shifted her hips, raised up and slowly rolled down, and Hiei's low growl vibrated against her chest as she slid down him.

Coherent thought left her after that. It was just sensations. Lips, tongue, and teeth moved over her neck. Fingertips teased her breasts. The taste of Hiei's sweat and blood under her tongue as her teeth latched onto his shoulder. Hips moved together, first in controlled movements and then more frantically. Hands bruised her shoulders as her body was roughly pulled downwards. Harsh pants sounded in her ears. His and hers. Energy moved through her as she screamed against Hiei's neck, and her own energy joined Hiei's as she was pushed over onto her back with Hiei blanketing her.

Everything crested at the same time. The swell of energy seemed to explode around them as their pleasure hit its peak, and Reigan came down with Hiei's hot energy spreading through her veins.

 **.xXx.**

"So." Botan's voice snapped Reigan out of her memory of that first day, day one of three, and she pressed a hand against her cheek to see if she was blushing. Her skin felt warm, but not hot, so she probably looked normal. Hiei's fingers twitched against hers, because their fingers were still laced, and Reigan could see a small smirk on his face from the corner of her eye. That probably meant he saw her little trip down memory lane.

"Yes?" Reigan asked. If her voice sounded a little deeper, or if her breathing was a little faster than normal, no one mentioned it.

"Does this mean you're going to be planning a celebration soon?" Botan asked with a little glint in her eyes. Reigan was already starting to laugh, so it was up to Hiei to answer and he didn't disappoint.

"No."

* * *

 **Ending Note:** This chapter jumped around so much because it's a transition chapter. It's just hitting the high points so that I can make it to the "Present Time" a little faster. I've thought about posting a side-story with chapters for the little things I'm skipping over, like Kurama telling his mother the truth and how Yukina and Touya got closer. I think I'd call it "Inferno: Outtakes" or something like that. If anyone would read a side-story of stuff like that, let me know!

Real quick: In this universe, demons don't mate for life. When two demons mate, their energies combine. If they decide they don't want to be together anymore, they can separate their energies and go their separate ways. No one has to die. There's also no marking. Other demons can just _feel_ the combination of energies and know that another demon is mated. That's why getting mated is a big deal but isn't at the same time. Essentially, demon mates can get divorced. If there's any questions, please ask!

Before I update this story again, I'm going to update _**Rinse and Repeat**_ one more time and then finish _**Enough**_. So now is the perfect time to go read them! Also, in the meantime, you can come talk to me on tumblr at _**tv-writes-ff . tumblr . com**_

 **backoff22:** Maybe dislike was the wrong word. I just felt like I could have done more with it, but I'm happy with the previous chapter. Haha, I can't imagine someone watching YYH and not wanting to play with Kurama's hair. So I guess I indulged my inner fangirl in the last chapter. Thank you for the review!

 **purple-pygmy-puff16:** 2025 is when the real action of the story starts, and I didn't want to slowly write out 20+ years so I decided to write a few "flashback" chapters instead. I hope that explains it a little better. Thank you for the review!

 **mchurch1992:** Thank you for the review!

 **AnImEfReAk4994:** Maybe they will, maybe they won't…you'll find out in the next chapter! Thank you for the review!

 **SakiHanajima1:** Don't worry, all will be explained about Shikaku soon. I'm so glad you liked all of the fluff! And you know I had to write that Kurama scene because of my Kurama withdrawals. I just couldn't help myself. Yeah, Yusuke's sassy. And I love it! Thank you so much for the review!

 **FireStorm1991:** It really is the best tool! I love writing the family moments. I feel like they've all earned really chill family moments. Nah, Hiei has nothing to worry about. Kurama just has pretty hair. Yes, Kurama told his mother and it went amazingly! I'm tempted to write that scene. We'll see. I decided to make the transformation anticlimactic because things like that are always over-the-top, and I thought it'd be more fun to hype things up and then…meh. It's just a thing that happened. No big. Yep, a lot of years of peace! And I like perchance! Not enough people use it. Thank you for the review!

 **shirohara:** Me? Shipping Yusuke and Botan? Pfffft…no. Or maybe I am. We'll find out in the next chapter! Thank you for the review!


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